By Jemma Tappenden
December 17 2007

With an early kick off to play Albion could go top of the Championship for a few hours at least if they picked up all three points at home to third placed Charlton. Watford played hosts to Plymouth Argyle later in the afternoon. So, could Albion extend their run to only one defeat in eleven games to put themselves at the top of the league?

West Brom, who started a place above Charlton but level on points had the added boost of being able to welcome back both Cesar and Robinson, who were reinstated straight to the starting eleven with Barnett and Martis making way.  Albion fans were also extremely pleased to welcome back 10 goal Kevin Phillips, who took a place on the bench after missing six weeks with a knee injury.  Charlton on the other had were without three regular first team players for their visit to the Hawthorns, Jon Fortune, Danny Mills and Lloyd Sam all absent for the Addicks through suspension.

 

It was Charlton who very nearly stunned the Baggies with an early chance inside the first two minutes.  A swift counter attack from the Addicks needed a Pele last ditch clearance to rid the danger.  But it did not take Albion long to get back into the swing of the swift passing game that has fast become their trade mark this season.

 

Bougherra was called into action for Charlton, his clearance denying ex Sheffield Wednesday team mate Chris Brunt a goal from a Gera flick on.  Brunt has fast established himself in the Baggies side, and is fast becoming the star that Owls fans are accustomed to seeing.  It was him again who was causing Charlton trouble just moments later.  Robert Koren laid off a perfect ball from Greening’s free kick.  Brunt fired the trigger from 30 yards and saw his effort fly just inches of the post.

 

It was Brunt yet again who was bombarding the Addicks goal, but this time he failed to trouble the keeper as his deflected shot went out to safety.  In the 15^th minute Albion should have gone ahead when a one-two between Koren and Gera produced an inch perfect right wing cross into the box.  Bednar pounced on the ball, looking for his fourth Baggies first team goal, but he was off balance and his shot rebounded off the left hand post from 12 yards. 

 

The Baggies continued to apply sustained pressure to their third placed rivals, and the Addicks had barely had a chance in the game outside of the first two minutes.  This time it was Bednar who paced the pitch down the left, searching for Gera with a cross, but missing the Hungarian International’s outstretched toe by a matter of inches.  Midway through the first half a Brunt corner nearly proved productive for Albion, but Bednar’s header glanced the bar and went out of play.

 

There was a brief reprieve for Charlton in the 25^th minute when they enjoyed a rare attack of their own.  Andy Reid got the better of Robinson in midfield and his 25 yard right footed shot curled just wide of the far post.  It was Brunt yet again for the Baggies who restored attacking ways; he came close with a medium range effort from a Koren pass.  There was more action in the Charlton box moments later, when experienced defender Powell was required to execute the goal line clearance to deny Bostjan Cesar the Baggies first goal.

 

In the 37^th minute the game took an unexpected twist when amazingly Charlton Athletic took the lead.  Jerome Thomas got the better of Hodgkiss and paced down the left before delivering a cross to the box which found Iwelumo.  He showed exactly why he has scored so many goals this season by planting his head on the ball perfectly to give the Addicks a goal advantage.  The goal came against the run of play, and Iwelumo who had been hobbling around the pitch with an injury had scored the only shot that Charlton had had on target all half.  He was substituted before half time and replaced with ex MK Dons striker Izale McLeod.

 

Thankfully, the Baggies only remained a goal behind for 6 minutes.  In the 43^rd minute Cesar fed a delicious ball to Bednar who laid off for Gera just outside of the box.  Spotting the run of Bednar, who had easily shrugged off ex Albion loan player Sodje, Gera played the perfect pass and allowed on loan Bednar to net his fourth Albion goal.  They might have made it 2-1 before the break when Greening paced onto a weak Sodje clearance, but his 25 yard volley was just the wrong side of the sticks.

 

Half Time: West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Charlton Athletic

 

Albion continued as they had ended after the break, Chris Brunt out to punish the Addicks at every available opportunity.  Within minutes his persistence paid off when another piercing cross allowed Gera to put the Baggies two one up with a header virtually identical to the goal he scored at the Walkers Stadium last week.  And it was Gera and Brunt who combined again just minutes later to very nearly punish Charlton for a second time in as many minutes. 

 

There was a brief moment of anguish in the 58^th minute for Albion, ex Ipswich player Darren Ambrose really should have done better from 8 yards after Powell had crossed the ball.  But Steele gathered the ball at the second attempt, after initially stopping the shot with his right hand.  A few moments later Charlton threatened again, this time substitute McLeod providing for Thomas, who had his ferocious shot blocked well by Cesar.  However, the real let off of the game for Albion was in the 66^th minute when sub Luke Varney, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes chased down Thomas’ diagonal ball.  But he wasted his chance some distance over the cross bar, failing to challenge young keeper Steele. 

 

In the 72^nd minute Kevin Phillips finally made his return for Albion, Teixeira the man making way.  But he had barely had chance to settle into the game when Charlton found an equaliser from nowhere in the 74^th minute.  Varney picked up a long ball from defence to play in McLeod.  Once the target of local rivals Wolves, the young striker saw his first time shot pass under the body of keeper Steele and into the net.

 

The equaliser threw the fluency of the game for a brief spell, but with 10 minutes left to play Albion found their stride again to retake the lead.  Brunt, who it is fair to say terrorised Charlton from the off, provided yet another perfect cross, for Gera to head home his second and baggies third in an almost carbon copy of the first.  For once Charlton might have had an immediate response, a left wing Thomas cross was flicked on by Matt Holland to find McLeod, who really should have found the target on this occasion.

 

Gera could have celebrated a hatrick when he fired wide from 15 yards, and a clearly well recovered Phillips let an unusual chance go begging when he shot wide of the sticks from a Robinson cross.  But Albion finally got rid of any of chance of Charlton finding their way back into this one in the 84^th minute.  A Greening corner fell nicely for Robinson, who forced the Charlton keeper into a block which fell into the path of Phillips.  Showing he hadn’t lost his predatory touch, he made in 4-2 to the Baggies with 6 minutes left.

 

Well and truly beaten that proved to be the last action of the game as both sides played out the remaining minutes in front of the Sky TV cameras.

 

Full Time: West Bromwich Albion 4-2 Charlton Athletic.

 

Bednar (43)

 

Gera (50 & 80)

 

Phillips (84)

 

Iwelumo (37)

 

McLeod (74)

 

Attendance: 20,364