Charlton’s slim automatic promotion aspirations were halted as Wrexham secured Championship football for next season with a comprehensive victory.
Here is the lowdown on the match.
THE LINE-UPS
Wrexham: Okonkwo, Brunt, Cleworth, Scarr, McClean, Dobson, Rathbone, James, Longman, Rodriguez (Fletcher 69), Smith (Marriott 87). Subs not used: Burton, O’Connell, O’Connor, Barnett, Lee.
Charlton Athletic: Mannion, Ramsay, Gillesphey, Jones (Mbick 53), Edwards, Coventry, Campbell, Docherty, Anderson (Kanu 63), Watson (Gilbert 73), Godden. Subs not used: Bouzanis, Alex Mitchell, McIntyre, Hylton.
SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME
The hosts knew a win would see them seal a third successive promotion and they started like a side who weren’t going to let that opportunity slip through their grasp.
Olly Rathbone drove the Welsh outfit into the lead on 15 minutes after a short corner was worked into his path. And that lead was extended just three minutes later as Sam Smith latched onto a ball floated into the area to volley beyond Will Mannion.
Wrexham’s early, quick fire double – coupled with an intimidating atmosphere in the Racecourse Ground – had seemed to unsettle the Addicks in the opening 20 minutes. Jones’ side did ease into the contest and create some moments of their own but didn’t take them.
Charlton enjoyed some possession and territory after the break but never really looked like staging an unlikely comeback. Smith finished the contest off late on, heading home from a deep cross.
TACTICAL APPROACH
The Addicks were rocked by the absences of both Luke Berry and Theirry Small with what the club described as “minor injuries.” Karoy Anderson took Berry’s place in the midfield, with Tennai Watson slotting in for Small at right wing-back.
Young forward Micah Mbick was thrown into the action shortly into the second half, replacing centre-half Lloyd Jones who was clearly struggling with his fitness. This saw Tyreece Campbell drop out wide for a spell – before them forming a front three as Daniel Kanu returned from injury to replace Karoy Anderson.
Middlesbrough loanee Alex Gilbert also came on for the closing stages but it wasn’t enough for the South Londoners to find a way back into the contest.
STAR MAN
Kayne Ramsay. Won a few challenges on a tricky day for the whole side.
BEST MOMENT
Ramsay’s ball into Tennai Watson for the Addicks’ best chance shortly before half-time – but the wing-back was unable to beat Arthur Okonkwo.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
Charlton seemed overawed by the atmosphere and occasion early on and that was their undoing.
A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB
Addicks fans will be crossing every digit they have that the club don’t go into the play-offs depleted by injuries.
Deep down, you knew they were in for a long afternoon when the team news came out -with Small and Berry both sidelined. Lloyd Jones was clearly struggling as well.
Part of their success in the second half of this campaign came about because Nathan Jones often had pretty much a full roster to select from. You scrape below the surface of the first 11 and there can be a noticeable drop off in threat.
It was notable that the Addicks manager mentioned the difference in the transfer business Wrexham and Charlton did in January. It hasn’t been a problem up until now – but could the South Londoners be left to rue a lack of options at the business end of the campaign?
Charlton have been flying since mid-December. Hopefully this will be a blip and they can find their way again in the play-offs. But any lingering fitness issues could really dent their chances.
WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY
“We were second best all game, they were excellent today. We didn’t do the basics well. We’ve had a really tough week. This isn’t an excuse but a really tough week. We lost (Luke) Berry, we lost Thierry (Small), we lost Gassan (Ahadme), we lost Ashley Maynard-Brewer, we lost Lloyd (Jones). Lloyd hasn’t trained all week, he’s been on more painkillers than I can imagine and he wasn’t right today.
“That seemed to have rocked us. We had too many players that got outfought, outworked and they were thoroughly deserving of their win. But look, we can’t be too negative, we have to concentrate now on the play-offs.”
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