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Charlton relegated after draw

Charlton were relegated to League One on Saturday after sharing the spoils with Blackpool at The Valley.

An injury time goal from Seasiders substitute Lee Hughes rendered results elsewhere irrelevant as the visitors recovered from two goals down to snatch a point.

The hosts looked to be heading down with a victory as two goals in the first four minutes of the second half from Deon Burton and Jonjo Shelvey put them in firm control.

DJ Campbell halved the deficit from the penalty spot midway through the second half, and in the dying moments late replacement Hughes struck the final blow.

Events away from The Valley did not go in Charlton's favour anyway as Nottingham Forest defeated Coventry City and Barnsley held Reading to move out of reach.

The best the Addicks can now hope for is a third-bottom finish, and in many ways this game summed up their season.

Excellent for long periods of the game, they at last found the cutting edge Phil Parkinson was looking for in the second period.

But by conceding a penalty, and then a sickening late leveller, they spurned their advantage and had to make to with a point.

It was a result the visitors scarcely looked like getting after the Addicks flew out of the blocks in the second period.

Within two minutes Burton had headed in just a second goal for the club from a fine Lloyd Sam centre, and then Shelvey crashed home a terrific second after some terrific build-up play.

Sure, results elsewhere were not going with the Addicks but the hosts looked set to keep up their side of the bargain.

But then Mark Hudson's trip on the lively Campbell gave the striker a chance to pull a goal back, with he duly accepted.

And, after Shelvey had gone close from inside the centre circle, young academy prospect Tamer Tuna was afforded a 12-minute cameo at the end.

But the controversial Hughes, an 89th minute arrival, produced a good finish in the dying stages to rubberstamp Charlton's Championship departure.

In terms of team news Burton returned to the Charlton line-up for their must-win Championship clash with Blackpool this afternoon - and academy striker Tuna was on the bench.

With striker Tresor Kandol absent through illness, Burton stepped up for his first start since March 7th in Parkinson's sole change to the starting XI.

And the other big news saw 17-year-old Tuna on the bench for the first time after a promising first year in the academy set-up, where he was joined by winger Scott Wagstaff.

Charlton had to win against the Seasiders to retain any hope of survival and then hope at least one of Barnsley and Nottingham Forest failed to pick up points, to keep their faint hopes alive.

Burton took on Kandol's sole striking role at the head of the team, while on the bench Tuna was hoping to become the latest graduate of the thriving youth set-up.

The rookie scholar, from Bexley, has been at the club since the age of nine, and had impressed Parkinson in recent reserve matches, netting his first second string goals two weeks ago against Southampton.

Burton was supported by the talented midfield triangle of Therry Racon, Zheng Zhi and Shelvey with top-scorer Nicky Bailey and Sam out wide.

Rob Elliot continued in goal and a backline that had kept three clean sheets in the last four games remained the same.

Danny Butterfield and Kelly Youga were the full-backs with Darren Ward and skipper Hudson in the centre of defence.

Tuna and Wagstaff were joined on the bench by Darren Randolph, Matt Holland and Matt Spring, the latter's first matchday squad involvement for four games.

Former Addicks keeper Paul Rachubka, who never played a first team game during his time at The Valley, was between the posts for the visitors who could have all but secured their own survival with a win.

Another ex-Charlton man, Simon Walton, was on the bench for the visitors who boasted the attacking threat of DJ Campbell up front.

Goalscoring midfielder Charlie Adam, one of 21 loan players used by the Tangerines this season, was also someone to keep an eye on.

On a warm afternoon in South East London the hosts made a purposeful start but it was the visitors that registered the first effort in the sixth minute.

A foul by Hudson on the left allowed the Seasiders a free-kick and centre-back Ian Evatt rose to meet Adam's curling set-play, heading the ball just wide of the far post.

The Addicks broke straight from the restart and Sam surged in to the box and nipped away from Rachubka before, at an acute angle, he was muscled out by Stephen Crainey.

Ward glanced a corner across goal and wide of the far post after 11 minutes and Shelvey couldn't quite get enough on his shot after Burton had nudged a Sam cross into his path.

Rachubka made a routine save, but Shelvey then showcased his exceptional abilities shortly afterwards, weaving through from midfield and clipping a shot over the bar from the edge of the area.

After some great play from the hosts, Bailey delivered a low cross for Burton in the 18th minute and the striker's touch took the ball beyond his marker.

Quick as a flash, Burton spun to take aim, and his shot flew narrowly over the bar and in to the Jimmy Seed Stand.

At the other end Campbell wriggled into space and shot over the bar from a narrow angle while after two crosses from Bailey and Youga were cut out by the Seasiders rearguard, Zheng surged forward from midfield but shot just wide of Rachubka's right upright.

After the keeper spilled a Shelvey corner, Crainey volleyed the ball to safety, and Bailey's shot from well out was again saved routinely 25 minutes in.

Charlton's best chance of the game arrived two minutes later with Sam hugely influential.

He picked the pocket of Crainey in midfield and scampered towards the edge of box.

With players in support he opted to switch the ball to his left to Bailey and then dashed in to meet the low cross.

Sadly for the hosts, Sam's shot was blocked from close to the line by a defender, and Racon floated the follow-up just over with Rachubka scrambling back.

Adam warmed the hands of Elliot from range before Alex Baptiste got to a tempting Sam centre just in front of Bailey at the far post.

Shelvey twisted and sent a shot narrowly off target from 20 yards and Zheng spurned a good opening nine minutes before the break, stabbing his shot wide after Burton had nudged a Butterfield throw into his path.

Shelvey put another shot over the bar for the hosts before Blackpool went close a minute before the interval, Evatt rising again at a free-kick to send Adam's delivery just over.

The visitors were looking a threat on the break as the half continued, and David Vaughan sent a sizzling long-range effort just over the bar as they ended the half well.

But it was the hosts who begun the second half in impressive fashion, and they were ahead within two minutes.

Sam was the architect, sending in a fine cross from the right and Burton rose above his man to loop a header over Rachubka and in.

Things got even better two minutes later as Shelvey added a second.

With Blackpool on the ropes, a slick interchange of passes culminated with Zheng shifting the ball to Shelvey on the right, and he dispatched a crisp low shot into the bottom left corner.

Sam stole in round the back to go close with a header from Bailey's dangerous centre, and the latter conceded a free-kick soon afterwards at the end of the Charlton box, Shaun Barker blasting the ball over the bar and into his fans behind the goal.

News from Nottingham Forest was not so good however, as news came in off James Perch's opener against Coventry, but the home crowd remained in god voice.

"We are staying up,” chanted one section of the Covered End before Wade Small made way for Brett Ormerod for the visitors.

Encouragingly, when the same stand asked fans to, 'Stand up if you're here next year', there was a healthy clicking of seats.

Bailey tracked back to make a timely sliding challenge on Keith Southern after the Tangerines midfielder had surged through from his own half.

But the visitors were offered a good chance to get back in the game in the 66th minute.

Campbell was released on the left and he checked into the box before being tripped by Hudson.

Referee Russell immediately pointed to the penalty spot, and dished out a yellow card to the Addicks skipper, but after a long wait Campbell kept his cool to confidently fire into the bottom right corner, sending Elliot the wrong way in the process.

Youga's foul, right up the left side, was one too many as he was booked by Russell too, while Shelvey almost electrified The Valley in the 70th minute, spotting Rachubka off his line and sending a shot from the edge of the centre circle just over the bar.

It was more evidence of the youngster's outstanding ability and, after a short spell of Blackpool pressure, Sam jinked down the right and his dangerous cross was headed behind by Barker with players lurking behind him.

The next noteworthy action saw Tuna introduced for his debut 12 minutes from time, replacing the hard-working Burton.

After a terrific run from Zheng, Shelvey's curling effort was clutched by Rachubka, who had just beaten Tuna to a long throw out from Elliot moments earlier

Vaughan's low skidding shot took a deflection before flying wide, while Russell missed what looked to be a clear hand-ball as Bailey's header from a Sam cross came back off Baptiste.

Holland replaced Youga at left-back in the closing stages and as the seconds ticked down, the home support remained unflinching.

Lee Hughes entered the fray in the final minute - and it was the controversial striker that had the last say in the second of three added minutes.

Adam set off from midfield and fed sub Claus Jorgensen and he found Hughes to his left.

Despite his much-publicised off field problems the striker has always known where the back of the net is, and he supplied a terrific clipped finish to draw his side level.

It was all too much for some visiting fans who spilled on to the pitch as they celebrated, and there was scarcely time for the Addicks to regroup before the final whistle blew.

Their fate confirmed, and with results elsewhere irrelevant, the players left to a standing ovation. League One looms next season, but with this kind of spirit hopefully it will be a short stay there.

Charlton: Elliot; Butterfield, Youga (Holland 86), Hudson, Ward; Sam, Racon, Zheng, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton (Tuna 78).

Subs (not used): Randolph, Spring, Wagstaff.

Goals: Burton 47, Shelvey 49

Booked: Hudson 66 (foul on Campbell), Youga 68 (persistent fouling)

Blackpool: Rachubka; Baptiste, Crainey, Barker, Evatt, Baptiste; Small (Ormerod 61), Southern, Adam, Vaughan (Hughes 89); Burgess (Jorgensen 83), Campbell.

Subs (not used): Gilks, Walton.

Goals: Campbell pen 67, Hughes 90

Referee: M Russell

Attendance: 19,615

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