Saturday 5 December 2015

Two goal lead turns into defeat

A two goal lead for Charlton over Brighton & Hove Albion turned into a 3-2 defeat for the Addicks. Charlton have slipped back into the relegation places.

Lookman and Reza put the Addicks ahead in the first six minutes and it remained 2-0 at half time. However, the sending off of Patrick Bauer on 57 minutes for holding back Zamora as the last man was a turning point in the match, Brighton having already got one back through Manchester United loanee James Wilson. The Seagulls drew level and Zamora scored the winner.

Charlton took the lead when Ricardo Vaz Te supplied Reza Ghoochannejhad with the ball, who fed Ademola Lookman. The teenager beat Bruno Manga in the box before firing past David Stockdale to give Charlton the lead with just two minutes played.

The Addicks doubled their lead in the sixth minute as Johann Gudmundsson whipped in a cross from the left. The ball just evaded Vaz Te in the centre of the box but Ghoochannejhad was on hand at the back post to sweep home. The Addicks were on the attack again moments later as Ghoochannejhad popped up once more at the far post, his header from Vaz Te's cross somehow kept out by Stockdale.

A clash of heads between Solomon March and debutant Harry Lennon midway through the half saw the latter forced off due to a gash on his forehead. The Seagulls had Stockdale to thank once more as the keeper made another save, this time from a point-blank 30th-minute Gudmundsson effort. In the seventh minute of injury time, Charlton again went close as another Stockdale stop denied Lookman his second.

The second half saw Brighton get a goal back with just five minutes played, as James Wilson picked up the ball 25 yards out before going on a mazy run which saw him beat four Charlton players. Having made it to the penalty spot, the on-loan Manchester United striker stabbed an effort past Addicks keeper Stephen Henderson to hand Chris Hughton's side a lifeline.

Relentless Brighton pressure paid off when Zamora equalised. March was the architect with a driving run and although Henderson instinctively saved at his near post, the follow up hit the post before the experienced striker slammed in. The winner came five minutes from time. Henderson did well to get a hand to sub Tomer Hemed’s header but it still looped into the net.

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