Charlton throw away a two goal lead for the second time in 3 games as basement club Bolton left The Valley on Tuesday with a share of the points.

Charlton Live’s LEWIS CATT reports from The Valley

The Addicks started brightly and took just 26 seconds to open the scoring when Ghoochannejhad pressured the ball in the Bolton half. He picked out Vaz Te who found Lookman and the youngster made no mistake slotting the ball home past Ben Amos in the Wanderers goal.

Dean Moxey prevented Gudmundsson running clear just over a minute later while Bolton had an effort fly harmlessly wide through Liam Feeney. Amos was equal to another Vaz Te effort and he denied the former wanderers striker after he connected with a Chris Solly cross. Charlton had the lead but it was Bolton who were enjoying the possession. However after a clever move Lookman added a second on the 25th minute of play. The move was started again by the ever improving Reza Ghoochannejhad after he back heeled to Vaz Te who drilled a ball across which Lookman turned home at the back post.

The two goal advantage was cut almost immediately after who else but veteran striker Emile Heskey took advantage of some woeful Charlton defending and volleyed home past Henderson. Sound familiar yet… it should do. Bolton nearly levelled when Zac Clough produced a fine low save from Stephen Henderson. A clever move from a Charlton corner nearly restored our two goal cushion when Ghoochannejhad dummied for Vaz Te who was denied his first Addicks goal after a brave block.

Then the inevitable happened…. Charlton struggling yet again to defend a corner and the ball found Josh Vela whose fizzing low shot beat Henderson….2-2 and The Valley was restless. Booed off at the half time whistle the Addicks needed firm words from The Interim One at half time.

The out of sorts Gudmundsson sliced a shot well wide on 53 minutes and Amos was equal to Lookmans low cross/shot. Then Lookman was withdrawn by Fraeye and replaced by Simon Makienok, much to the disgust of the home crowd including myself at the time, but later on I found out it was due to a hamstring niggle.

Ghoochannejhad worked hard to win the Addicks a free kick from 30 yards out. You would have put your house on the Icelandic international getting his effort on target last season, this season however it hit the wall and although his follow up was much better, it still fizzed wide of the post. Moment’s later substitute El Hadji Ba won a corner for the Addicks which Harry Lennon nodded onto the underside of the crossbar.

Amos also got down well to save a low drive from Ghoochannejhad and David Wheater did well to block a Vaz Te scissor kick. Despite the Addicks efforts the game ended 2-2 and boos rang around SE7 at full time. Another two points dropped in what is most definitely a relegation dogfight.

Gaffers Notes:

“Very disappointed. We played very, very well, we had some chances in the first twenty minutes and scored two, but the way we handled that was a disgrace.

“We stopped playing football. We know what we can do but we made it into a battle, this is not our kind of play. We had a hand in that.” – Karel Fraeye.

“We’re obviously disappointed we didn’t take all three points, but I’m pleased the character and quality we showed tonight,”- Neil Lennon
Charlton Line Up:
Henderson, Solly, Diarra, Lennon, Holmes-Dennis, Gudmundsson, Cousins, Jackson, Lookman, Vaz Te, Ghoochannejhad.
SUBS:
Pope, Fox, Sarr, Bergdich, Ba, Makienok, Ahearne-Grant

Man of the Match 
Ademola Lookman- Two very well taken goal and he scares all defenders with his pace. Getting him to sign long term in January will be better than any signing we make.

Key Points
– Our defending from set pieces is not acceptable in any division, let alone the 2nd tier of English football.
– Hendersons distribution was way off yesterday. I feel we are missing Ben Roberts and his coaching ability.
– Gudmundsson does not look like the same player he was last season. Euro 2016 on his mind perhaps.
– Jeering Makienok every time he wins a header is going to do nothing for the lad’s confidence.

Next Up
Burnley Away.

You can follow Lewis on twitter – @LewisCatt9