CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1, STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
Stockport County returned to match action for the first time in a fortnight with a trip down to South East London that saw them share the spoils at Charlton – but finish the game with 10 men after Fraser Horsfall was sent off late on.
An early Louie Barry spot-kick put County ahead in what was a first league encounter between the two clubs at The Valley since 2010, before the hosts equalised midway through the second half.
It was a case of calm before the forecast Storm (Ashley), as the Hatters took to the field on a sunny afternoon giving their yellow and blue third kit a first outing for a competitive fixture and showing three changes from the starting line-up that had faced Wigan at Edgeley Park before the October international break.
Callum Connolly, Ollie Norwood and Nick Powell made up the recalled trio, replacing the injured Callum Camps, as well as Jack Diamond and Lewis Fiorini – both of whom were named among the substitutes. Fiorini was also one of two players in the squad – along with Jay Mingi, who started – to have at one time plied his trade for the hosting Addicks.
A first-minute corner for the Hatters saw them register an inaugural shot of the afternoon – as Norwood’s delivery from the left eventually fell to Ibby Touray, who, fresh from his return from international duty with Gambia, fired wide of the far post.
The hosts, sitting in ninth position, and equal on points with seventh-placed County at kick-off – fashioned their opening effort eight minutes later, as Karoy Anderson’s angled shot from the right was cleanly held by Corey Addai.
But the action then quickly and dramatically switched to the other end – where Powell was felled in the area by home goalkeeper Will Mannion. Referee Tom Reeves pointed to the spot and Barry stepped up to convert the penalty into the bottom-left corner for his sixth goal in all competitions.
A Charlton break just after the quarter-hour mark saw Tyreece Campbell test Addai who tipped the forward’s low drive around the left post, before superbly keeping out a goal-bound Anderson header from the resulting corner by Terry Taylor.
Shortly ahead of the half-hour, a free-kick from skipper Lewis Bate was met by Connolly -who headed over. And with a couple of first-half minutes remaining, a deflected Campbell shot fizzed narrowly past County’s left upright.
Taylor chipped an effort into the waiting arms of Addai shortly following the resumption, before unleashing a free kick from the left that evaded all in attendance and passed the far post, as the Addicks continued to strive to get back on level terms.
Two minutes after the hour, the Hatters broke through Bate who fed Barry on the left but County’s leading scorer was denied by Mannion’s point-blank parry. And four minutes later,the hosts were level – with first-half substitute Rarmani Edmonds-Green firing home on the rebound, after Addai had kept out an initial shot from Campbell.
Charlton substitute Miles Leaburn unleashed two efforts in quick succession that were respectively deflected over by Horsfall and cleared in front of goal by Connolly. And, to add to the entertainment, home manager Nathan Jones had, a little earlier, found himself yellow-carded as tensions rose around the ground.
The other colour of card was brandished in Horsfall’s direction, and saw the defender – who had been on a yellow for around half an hour – dismissed, following a second bookable challenge three minutes from the end of normal time.
In the course of seven minutes added on, Addai tipped an Alex Mitchell header around the left post before Leaburn fired past the same upright. And County’s ‘keeper once again came to the rescue during the dying seconds, when he kept out Luke Berry’s free-kick and ensured that the Hatters would return north with a point.
Goals: Edmonds-Green, (66), for Charlton. Barry (11pen) for Stockport.
Stockport County (3-4-3): Addai; Connolly, Horsfall, Pye; Mingi (Fevrier 64), Norwood (Bailey 64), Bate, Touray; Powell (Olaofe 64), Wootton (Fiorini 78), Barry (Diamond 78). Subs (unused): Hinchliffe, Hughes.
Attendance: 13,711 (1,242 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.