Charlton 3 Wycombe 2 - POST MATCH THREAD 08/09/18

seth plum said:

PWR.

Don't bother subscribing to Netflix, you get a whole box set of episodes in one single game at Charlton.

There were twists and turns, power ebbing back and forth, phases, goodies and baddies, characters introduced, others killed off, the story unfolding with more nip and tuck than you see in a Costume Drama, periods of silence, periods of noise, enough to fondly remember until series two comes in the next game.

I mean Southend last week wasn't exactly without talking points either. The Karl Robinson trademark 1-1 football, repeated like a cheap Australian afternoon soap opera, has been replaced by colour, richness, interest and freshness under Bowyer and Jackson, that anyone would be a liar to say it isn't massively more enjoyable at the moment.

There was even a prelude as the dropping of Phillips became a distraction for many.

We started brightly enough, very much on the front foot, then biff, a Wycombe goal well placed early on provided the end of episode one.

Episode two had Wycombe on top, an impressive display from old heads Makail-Smith, and especially an excellent Akinfenwa, both competitive playing like we would love if they were doing it for us. We came to the end of that tricky second album when the superb all afternoon, captain and leader Jason Pearce decided he'd had enough.

Episode three launched, as he decided to take Akinfenwa on, and put his head neck and body on the line to battle, compete and defend. What an example he proved to be in that spell, and it was men against men when after a particularly shuddering daggers drawn collision, both guys shook each others hand in manly respect, it was becoming proper Chariots of Fire.

It was indeed, because as soon as Pearce started to inspire others with sheer example, episode four had that slow motion feel as we passed around, and got increasingly closer, and, oh, we scored! Or rather Wycombe scored an unlucky yet head in hand own goal, the motion got slower and the music started to swell, expressions reversed in all parts of the stadium.

Episode five, the final part of the half, was both teams pugnacious wanting to show they still had belief, and both teams wanting to show the other that they could still sting if you weren't careful. Grant got a great stop from their keeper, and we had a spectacular overhead effort from Taylor.

The second half, or seventh phase, begins. Wycombe still wanting to prove better and the were increasingly forceful. Then the moment of big debate arrives to introduce new energy into the series. Pratley gets booked for getting their goalscorer and very dangerous player from behind, very similar to the one at Southend last week, could've got a red in both instances. As a result of his booking, and rather dreary performance up to then, screenwriter Bowyer decides to kill off Pratley and Ajose in a double plot twist and bring on Reeves and Lapslie.

On then to episode eight which is the point when Taylor, now getting more of a platform because of the extremely shrewd substitutions, becomes the star and lead character. Where Pearce had inspired the guys at the back in the first half Taylor decided to do the same with the guys at the front with his predatory, almost animalistic approach to his marker, their number 5. Clashes and injuries and treatment to Taylor followed, but his blasting into life brought on episode nine enigmatically titled "Willpower' by the writers.

This is when we scored twice. Both close range battling finishes, totally deserved from Taylor following a great low cross in, and Sarr firstly offering his face to be kicked before daring anybody to stop him scoring from close range following Reeves' free kick. Those were just the finishes though, because it is an episode called Willpower due to the sheer desire that was coursing through the team at this phase. Aribo, Solly, Lapslie, Grant even Reeves were buzzing beautifully everywhere like worker bees supporting the hive hero Taylor.

The last episode in this series, number ten finished with a finger wagging morality reminder about arrogance, complacency, mortality and all that kind of stuff. A Wycombe goal, a bullet header from a corner as the five extra minutes kicked in. That was the bit that had the shrill whistling, the substitution for the acclaim of Taylor by Igor, became the slow milking it time killing exit of Taylor for the defensively reliable Djiksteel. It all ended however with a sense that there are more thrills and spills to come next time.

And with three juicy points.