After a hard fought point at Peterborough pushed the Addicks into 14th place and above our Bermondsey counterparts, attentions turn back towards the traditional 3pm kick off on a Saturday afternoon. Huddersfield are the next opponents for Chris Powell’s men and the first of ten important games that remain in this year’s Championship season. With both teams sitting precariously on 44 points, it appears that there will be very little between the two sides this weekend. Both teams are desperate to put daylight between themselves and the dreaded relegation places.
Two wins in their last three games have seen Huddersfield enjoy somewhat of a mini-revival under new boss Mark Robins and the team in sky-blue and white will be slight favourites. When you add this to the Addick’s recent dismal run of results at the John Smith’s Stadium and the prospects don’t look too good for the red and white army’s trip to West Yorkshire.
Yann Kermorgant will serve the last of his three match suspension picked up against Millwall whilst Dale Stephens could still miss out due to injury. Chris Solly and Matt Taylor both made their marks on their return to the side at London Road and you would expect the back four combination to be maintained on Saturday. More precarious is the goalkeeping position. Ben Hamer was ousted after a string of errors through January and February, yet David Button could’ve done much better with Peterborough’s equaliser in midweek. Chris Powell isn’t a manager to make unnecessary changes though and Button will keep his place for the time being. Harriott and Wilson are the most likely combination on the wing, with Scott Wagstaff and Danny Green waiting in the wings for their chance to shine whilst you would expect the experienced combination of Ricardo Fuller and Danny Haynes to continue up front. An unchanged side seems most likely unless Powell wishes to revert to a 4-5-1 formation.
Huddersfield are boosted by the return of their talismanic winger, Danny Ward. Ward came off the bench to score the midweek winner and the Charlton defence will certainly need to keep both eyes on him should he play a part on Saturday. Elsewhere, Lee Novak provides the goal threat while the trio of Adam Clayton, Oliver Norwood and Neil Danns will provide a stern midfield test. Certainly a side of talented players, homegrown star Jack Hunt will be bombing down the Addicks’ left hand side all afternoon whilst another homegrown star and future England hopeful Alex Smithies will be between the sticks.
Despite coming off the back of a remarkable midweek turn around at home to Middlesbrough, fans of the Terriers will be equally nervous as the travelling Addicks and you might expect this to play out on the pitch. A scrappy game of few chances could be the result, with only one goal between the two sides.
On an FA Cup weekend, it’s sometimes difficult to pick a game with most potential. Bolton, on a recent fine run on form, will play 6th placed Brighton. The Trotters must take all three points in this clash at the Reebok to have any hopes of mounting a late play-off challenge. Brighton will be hoping to put pay to those hopes with a convincing win and three points to take back to the south coast.
Two other teams on good recent runs are Crystal Palace and Leeds United. They meet at Selhurst Park this weekend and although Palace will be home favourites, you can underestimate Neil Warnock’s dogged Leeds side at your peril and the men from South Yorkshire won’t be happy with anything other than three points. At the other end of the table, the Addicks’ most recent opponents in Peterborough will welcome Ipswich to London Road. This one is a relegation six pointer that both sides will be desperate to win.
Conversely, Bristol City will be looking to capitalise on any dropped points when they play Middlesbrough at Ashton Gate. It seems there is nothing Tony Mowbray can do to arrest their typical end of season slump and the locally-born manager must find the solution fast before it is too late. Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves and Blackpool will be hoping to bag three vital away points, admittedly against much sterner opposition in Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Watford respectively.
Derby will travel to Birmingham hoping for a change in recent fortunes with Cardiff’s late equaliser denying them their first win in five in midweek. Birmingham themselves are only five points from the drop zone and will be looking to pull clear in the ten games of the season.
And in the final game of the Championship weekend, Burnley take on Hull at Turfmoor. After a 4-2 defeat against Crystal Palace in midweek, Steve Bruce will be urging his men to put their promotion push back on track when they come up against Charlie Austin and co. on Monday Evening.
