"The Journey Begins: Addicks Take First Steps On Road To Wembley". That was the headline on the front of Valley Review for this match.
Whilst it doesn't seem quite so outrageous after the replay was won, it seemed nothing short of ridiculous at half time in this fixture. This was a game of two halves with all goals scored in front of the Covered End. Charlton did have a couple of chances in the first ten minutes but looked absolutely woeful for the rest of the first half; sluggish, disinterested and second best in every department. Oxford, two divisions below The Addicks, passed the ball around as if they were playing against a Conference side, which they might as well have been. Although the Charlton players might have felt hard done by in the manner of the first goal, Mullins' shot hitting Morrison and rolling comedy-style in slow motion across the Valley quagmire and into the net, there could have been no complaints about the half time score line or the other goal. Mid way through the half Jordan Cousins, gifted Oxford the ball allowing Scott Davies to slot home after being put through by Constable. Our defence was nowhere to be seen. Chris Powell said at the post-match press conference that, "That first half was easily worst 45 minutes since I've been manager here". He wasn't wrong.
Charlton looked far more interested in the second half and got a goal back within eight minutes, Morrison heading in from a corner. The pressure was kept up throughout the half and by the time Hariott, Piggott and Green came on, Oxford looked to be flagging. Green in particular gave us some decent crosses, something that had been sadly lacking before that. At the point where Charlton fans would have been wondering if it was going to be one of those nights that would be remembered for all the wrong reasons, Green put in a cross from the right wing that Kermorgant met with a perfect volley to give us the draw. It had been a determined and justified comeback after a shocking first half. With a replay to come at the Kassam, Charlton had earned a cup run longer than anyone would have imagined at half time.
