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Rooster pecks Addicks

Former Spain international Joseba Etxeberria grabbed the decisive goal as Charlton slipped to a narrow defeat in their final Championship warm-up on Saturday.

But the Addicks were a lick of paint away from holding their high-profile Spanish visitors Athletic Club to a draw in a sometimes spiky affair at The Valley.

The man nicknamed 'The Rooster' turned home the winner in the 10th minute, while Jerome Thomas wasted the chance to level four minutes from the break as he fired a penalty against the post.

The Bilbao-based visitors were impressive in the opening period, but after their hosts had the temerity to match them after the break, they lost their discipline at the death as substitute Aritz Aduriz was sent off for violent conduct. The striker lashed out at Jonathan Fortune after the pair tussled two minutes from time, and as well as some excellent football there was an equal dose of petulance and finger-waving from the Basque outfit.

Indeed, Probert found himself jabbed in the chest on more than one occasion by some blue-shirted visitors as the La Liga side played the first of two games in England.

For the hosts, Jonjo Shelvey again belied his years in the middle of midfield, holding his own against some opponents of very high regard. Young keeper Rob Elliot made one smart stop, back-tracking to deny the impressive Markel Susaeta, but it was the skilful midfielder that drove the ball across for the veteran Etxeberria to divert home.

Fernando Llorente missed a golden chance to double Athletic's lead, while Thomas assumed spot-kick duties after being tripped by Andoni Iraola only to rattle his penalty against the right upright.

Mark Hudson's strength and power were evident at the back for Charlton but his opening Valley afternoon ended prematurely as he left the action midway through the half and immediately had ice applied to his right ankle.

Athletic were a threat on the break in the second half, but despite enjoying far more possession Pardew might have been slightly disappointed that his side did not work keeper Gorka Iraizoz more.

Substitute Grant Basey was twice off target and Lloyd Sam saw a sweetly-struck volley charged down, but there was no way through as the Basque side held firm for the win.

In terms of team news there was a Valley debut for summer signing Hudson, who skippered the side out of the tunnel in the SE7 opener. Keeper Elliot also got the chance to start a senior game for the first time, replacing Nicky Weaver, who has a knee niggle.

Perhaps with an eye on next week's league opener, Pardew opted to field Jose Semedo at right-back with Yassin Moutaouakil suspended for the Swansea City clash. Kelly Youga was on the opposite flank and Fortune partnered Hudson in the middle of the backline. Scott Wagstaff and Thomas started out wide with Shelvey and Therry Racon in the middle of the park. And up front was the flourishing partnership of Andy Gray and Luke Varney.

Athletic, one of just three teams never to be relegated from the Spanish top flight, had one familiar face in their line-up in the shape of skipper Etxeberria, while Llorente hit 11 La Liga goals last season.

On a muggy afternoon in SE7 the visitors carved out the first chance of the afternoon in the third minute when Susaeta met a driven cross from Javier Casas but turned the ball over the bar.

The midfielder then charged down a wayward clearance from Elliot but Hudson eventually smuggled the ball back to the keeper. After that shaky moment Elliot proved his worth in the sixth minute, back-tracking to tip over a dipping volley from the Liverpool-linked Javier Martinez.

Carlos Gurpegui was warned by referee Probert after a skirmish with Jerome Thomas but the visitors were in front in the 10th minute. The lively Susaeta was the architect, sprinting away from Kelly Youga on the right and his dangerous low cross was turned home by a stretching Etxeberria.

Wagstaff spurned the first opening for the hosts five minutes later, hesitating crucially after an initially blocked free-kick from Shelvey was helped back across by Varney. The winger ought really to have shot first time, but his initial touch took him wide and the ball spun out for a goal-kick.

Elliot made a fine save with his legs to deny Llorente, although the offside flag rendered the contribution academic and midway through the half clever play from Etxeberria teed up Susaeta who whipped a shot narrowly over the bar.

The visitors were enjoying the lion's share of possession, stroking the ball around well but it was Charlton who conjured up their first shot on goal on 27 minutes, Gray testing Iraizoz with an angled drive.

A Susaeta cross just eluded the tall Llorente in the middle after Etxeberria had unlocked the Addicks defence with another cute pass and the striker spurned a golden chance to make it 2-0 seven minutes before the break.

More good play on the right laid the foundations and Llorente took a pass from Susaeta in his stride as the red-shirted rearguard parted. Elliot was flummoxed as the Spain U21 man produced a delightful dummy but he couldn't supply the finish to match, lifting a shot over the keeper but wide of the right post.

The Addicks looked set to cash in on their reprieve four minutes before the break when they were awarded a penalty. Thomas had seen his initial cross headed back in to his path and the winger checked in to the box before being tripped by Iraola.

It was a stonewall penalty and Thomas snatched the ball with a purpose before planting it on the whitewash. Sadly for the hosts, although his shot was well-struck it rattled the right upright and Athletic breathed a sigh of relief.

And the visiting players were far from happy on the stroke of half-time as the impressive Shelvey and Llorente clashed aerially. Both players received attention, while referee Probert was the subject of some jabbing by Etxeberria and some loud protests from others in navy shirts. It appeared much ado about nothing, and Probert quickly brought proceedings to a close for the opening period.

Sam replaced Wagstaff at the break and two minutes in Varney skipped past his man on the left, pulling the ball back to Thomas whose goalbound prod was blocked by a defender.

Hudson headed a Shelvey corner over with the hosts carrying more of a threat and Aitor Ocio and Gray were lectured by Probert with the Addicks striker indicating he was the victim of an elbow. Gray was replaced soon after by Moutaouakil and Semedo made way for Basey as Pardew tinkered with his side. Moutaouakil slotted straight in at right-back, while Basey went to the left of midfield, with Thomas moving into the hole behind Varney.

Javier Casas crashed a shot into the side-netting on 63 minutes, and seconds later a slip from Fortune let in substitute Aduriz, who put the ball wide of the right upright.

A good move from the hosts two minutes later saw Racon release the overlapping Basey on the left and his cross was met fully on the volley by Sam only for an Athletic defender to intervene and send the ball looping behind for a corner.

Worryingly for the hosts Hudson left the action in the 67th minute as Amdy Faye deputised in the centre of defence. Basey screwed a shot into the side-netting after collecting a Moutaouakil cross and was then struck on the backside by a miss-timed pass from Pardew as the boss booted the ball back in to play.

Josh Wright entered the fray soon afterwards and at the same time as Stuart Fleetwood was unveiled at The Valley for the first time, Ocio was substituted after talking himself into a booking after a tussle with Thomas.

Basey curled a free-kick over from some 30 yards after Fleetwood's purposeful burst was halted by Fernando Amorebieta 15 minutes from time, and after a batch of penalty-box pinball at the other end Casas fizzed a shot across goal and wide.

Probert and the home fans were beginning to tire of the Spanish side's petulance as the game wore on, and more angry gesturing followed after a visiting defender writhed around on the ground. And the referee was given little option but to produce a red card for Aduriz two minutes from time, after the striker lashed out at Fortune.

It was an unsavoury end to a game not without its niggles, and although Charlton are unlikely to come up against a side of this ilk in the Championship this season, Pardew would have taken some positives as the opening league clash looms ever closer.

Charlton: Elliot; Semedo (Basey 59), Youga, Hudson (Faye 67), Fortune; Wagstaff (Sam 46), Shelvey, Racon (Wright 69), J Thomas (Fleetwood 73); Varney, Gray (Moutaouakil 59). Subs (not used): Christie, Yussuff.

Athletic Club: Iraizoz, Iraola, Casas, Ocio (Aldekoaotalora 73), Amorebieta; Susaeta, Gurpegui (Iturraspe 51), Martinez (Murillo 75), Etxeberria (Lopez 51), Yeste (Gabilondo 84); Llorente (Aduriz 59). Subs (not used): Lafuente, Lerchundi.

Goal: Etxeberria 10

Booked: Ocio 71 (dissent)

Sent off: Aduriz 88 (violent conduct).

Referee: L Probert

Attendance: 5,621

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