ADDICKS SICK AS PARROTS
CHARLTON fans are sick of seeing their team run into the ground, but manager Russell Slade admitted his players weren’t feeling too hot either despite grabbing a last-gasp draw.
With half the Charlton team suffering from a virus, Gillingham led at the break thanks to Bradley Dack heading home a Paul Konchesky cross in the 40th minute.
Charlton’s Ricky Holmes saw a second-half penalty saved by Stuart Nelson, who had replaced the injured Jonathan Bond on the half-hour mark, but the Gills stopper could do nothing about Nicky Ajose’s spot-kick a minute into time added-on.
With centre-back Pat Bauer pulling out of the game on the way to Gillingham, Slade was proud of his side’s effort considering many of his players were less than 100 per cent.
“There was a few boys out there (with the virus),” Slade said. “We’ve had about half-a-dozen that have been struggling with that and unfortunately Pat had to pull out on the coach on the way here because it was just starting to affect him. His energy levels were right down.
“But I’m really pleased for Nicky Ajose to get the goal. He was very good, as was Jason Pearce at the back, and Andrew Crofts.
“It was about experience in midfield. It kept us going forward in that second period as we started to get on top a little bit.”
Dack saw Charlton goalkeeper Declan Rudd race out to block a 25th-minute shot before he looped a header home for the opening goal five minutes before half-time.
Charlton were much improved after the break but couldn’t find a way past Nelson, who excellently tipped a Josh Magennis header over before denying Holmes from 12 yards after Ryan Jackson had pulled down Fredrik Ulvestad.
But in injury time Gills’ Chris Herd handled in the area and halftime sub Ajose stepped up to fire into the bottom corner.
That means Gillingham are winless in their last seven games and assistant manager David Kerslake admits boss Justin Edinburgh might have a tough decision to make following Nelson’s performance.
“We were outstanding in the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second half we were well on top,” he said. “Unfortunately, as of late, we haven’t been able to see the game out and we’ve paid for it again. “We looked a good unit. We looked athletic and aggressive and that’s what the manager’s been banging on to the players in recent weeks, that that’s how we dig ourselves out of the issue that we’re in at the minute. “After the performance of Nelson the manager is going to have to think long and hard about it. Nelson and Bond are both very good goalkeepers and on Nelse’s performance he’s pushed himself to the forefront.”