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Sodje's law at Huish Park

It was Sodje's law at Huish Park on Saturday as Charlton picked up a point from an incredible afternoon against Yeovil Town.

Sam Sodje was sent off for the Addicks for a professional foul in the 29th minute on a rain-lashed afternoon in Somerset - but his younger brother Akpo rescued a 1-1 draw for the 10 men with his first goal for the club.

After the sending off, John Obika slid the hosts ahead a minute before the break to leave the visitors facing an uphill battle.

But substitute Sodje equalised for the Addicks in brilliant fashion on 56 minutes, spinning and rifling an unstoppable shot into the back of the net from 25 yards.

The shorthanded visitors dominated the second period and, but for the brilliance of home keeper Alex McCarthy, they would have taken all three points.

As the away fans watched on in the roofless stand behind the goal, they saw McCarthy tip second-half efforts from Sodje and a corner from Basey onto the bar.

The keeper also tipped another Sodje effort over the bar after the substitute had started the second half by having a goal disallowed for offside.

It was a truly breathless affair in truly treacherous conditions with Charlton using the forceful wind far better in the second half, than the Glovers had in the first.

After Sodje was shown a straight red card for bringing down Ryan Mason as he bore down on goal, Charlton held firm until the last minute of the half.

But then they were exposed by a long ball over the top as Tottenham loanee Obika raced away and slid a shot beyond Carl Ikeme, despite the desperate attempts from Christian Dailly.

After sacrificing David Mooney for Miguel Llera after the red card, Parkinson reacted positively at the break and sent on the younger Sodje for Therry Racon.

And it proved an inspired move as the visitors, with the wind at their backs, pinned their hosts back.

The Glovers had an extra man but it scarcely showed as the Addicks pummelled them for the entire 45 minutes.

First Sodje had a goal chalked off for offside after following up a Llera free-kick.

But he wouldn't be denied for long, spinning brilliantly to crunch home a superb equaliser from range.

Charlton pressed on after that and Sodje saw an effort touched onto the post by the excellent McCarthy, who also saved well from the striker's dipping effort.

Chances continued to come for the visitors as Ikeme was a virtual spectator, and the excellent Bailey was denied by a fine defensive block before Basey's corner was touched onto the bar.

The way the hosts celebrated the final whistle told its own story as the hardy away fans, stationed in among the elements, celebrated a memorable away day.

The only thing missing was a deserved three points.

In terms of team news Parkinson made one change from last week's impressive win against Milton Keynes Dons for his side's first ever league trip to Huish Park.

With Frazer Richardson ruled out of action with a hamstring injury, Grant Basey stepped into the starting line-up.

He operated on the left of defence, with Kelly Youga switching across to right-back.

Otherwise the Addicks were unchanged as they aimed to preserve their place in second spot in League One.

Inspired by the central role of skipper Bailey last week, the Addicks came from behind to dispatch the Dons in comprehensive fashion.

Bailey scored once, made several others amid a terrific all-round performance, justifying Parkinson's decision to switch him into his favoured position after a long spell on the left.

Naturally, he remained in the middle of the park alongside Jose Semedo, with Racon out on the left. Lloyd Sam, who was also on target at The Valley last week, completed the midfield foursome.

With Rob Elliot still sidelined with an adductor injury, Ikeme continued in goal and Youga and Basey flanked Christian Dailly and Sam Sodje at the back.

Deon Burton and Mooney, who along with Sodje completed the nap hand, were again up front.

Sam Sodje's younger brother, Akpo, started on the bench where he offered attacking options alongside Jonjo Shelvey and Scott Wagstaff.

Darren Randolph, Llera and Elliot Omozusi made up the reserve ranks.

Yeovil, who beat Charlton in the Carling Cup at The Valley last season, boasted Tottenham Hotspur loanees Ryan Mason and Obika up front.

Obika scored against Charlton in the FA Youth Cup last season, and a third Spurs loanee, defender Steven Caulker, was at the back, and also played in that cup clash.

The talented Dean Bowditch was on the bench for the Glovers while home keeper McCarthy is on loan from Reading and is thus a Royals teammate of Addicks striker Mooney.

Charlton were playing into the elements in the early stages, and after a neat passage of play from the hosts Dailly did well to cut out a pass from Mason to Obika which would have sent the frontman in on goal.

Mason then warmed the hands of Ikeme in the second minute, the keeper doing well to turn away his angled effort.

Scott Murray picked up the rebound on the right but could only shoot into the side-netting.

With puddles appearing on the pitch, good passing was difficult, but the hosts managed to create another opening for Murray on seven minutes, the experienced winger shooting over from range.

Mason wriggled into space and shot into the side-netting on the quarter-hour while Sam, left out on his own on the right, saw his deflected effort pouched routinely by McCarthy.

Basey was wayward from range in the 19th minute and from the visitors point of view there were some neat passages of play in the final third with Burton usually involved.

Not that McCarthy was overly troubled - and the visitors were dealt a massive blow a minute shy of thehalf hour mark as they were reduced to ten men.

With Basey pushing upfield on the left, the Addicks were caught out by a long ball down the right channel and suddenly Mason was clean through on goal.

Ikeme was off his line as the ball reared up off the turf, but the striker was sent crashing to the turf as Sodje slid in to make a desperate challenge.

There was little doubt that Sodje was in serious trouble, and referee Simon Hooper immediately brandished the red card.

Ikeme saved the resulting free-kick from Andrew Welsh to prevent the double disaster, and as soon as Llera was ready on the sideline, the Spaniard came on, for Mooney.

Semedo was booked for a tug on Welsh, and Llera got across well to cut out another slipped pass in the final third, as the ten men strived to regroup.

And when they forced a 42nd-minute free-kick after Racon was fouled following a loose pass from Jean Paul Kalala, Sam rose to head down a Bailey free-kick and McCarthy made a sprawling stop at his near post.

Charlton had edged towards the half-time interval, but before Parkinson could do any tactical tinkering the visitors fell behind.

Again Charlton were caught out by a direct ball over the top, and Obika sped clear of Dailly and slid a low shot beyond Ikeme and in, despite the desperate lunge from the Scottish defender.

Caulker put a good headed chance over at a corner in the last knockings off the half, and it remained 0-1 at the interval.

Parkinson made a change at the break, the second Sodje, Akpo, replacing an out of sorts Racon.

And the newcomer made a promising start, linking up nicely with Burton two minutes in before drawing a foul from Stefan Stam some 25 yards out.

The defender was booked and Llera stepped up to smash in a low free-kick that was parried out by McCarthy and Akpo Sodje swooped to turn the loose ball into the roof of the net.

The fans rejoiced, but Sodje's celebration was cut short by an offside flag as the Glovers enjoyed a reprieve.

With the conditions firmly in their favour, the ten men had started the second half well.

Dailly was warned for tugging back Obika but escaped a yellow card, and Charlton were level in sensational style on 56 minute.

A long diagonal ball from Llera was chested down by the striker and he left his marker for dead with a brilliant turn before smashing home a magnificent 25-yard shot.

This time there was no denying the striker as he reeled away in celebration, before tumbling to the saturated turf.

Level, the hosts pressed on to further turn things round and only the brilliance of McCarthy denied them on the hour.

Daniel Hutchins slipped deep inside his own half and suddenly Sodje was in again. The striker opted for power but McCarthy stuck out a glove to turn the ball onto his left upright and behind for a corner.

Terry Skiverton sent on Dean Bowditch for Welsh but the impressive Sodje was in again soon after.

The striker let fly with a dipping drive from the edge of the box but McCarthy produced another fine finger-tip save.

After Hutchins was booked for handling a Sam cross, Basey's free-kick curled all the way through but McCarthy again tipped the ball to safety.

Yeovil were then grateful for their skipper Craig Alcock 14 minutes from time.

Sam got away on the right as the increasingly-wobbly Hutchins slipped and his driven cross was met firmly by Sodje only for the right-back to clear away from close to the line.

Kalala dragged a rare effort from the hosts wide while Bailey drove a free-kick into the wall after Burton had earned a foul off Alcock.

Bowditch put a free header wide for the hosts after Ikeme had conceded a corner when striving to collect the ball.

Still Charlton pressed, and with three minutes left Burton somehow held the ball up in the box and teed up Bailey whose shot was deflected behind off Caulker.

Bailey's corner was sliced against his own side-netting by MacDonald and when Basey took over flag-kick duties his swirling set-piece was tipped onto the bar and behind by McCarthy.

Despite the dominance the goal just wouldn't come and the final whistle was warmly received by the home contingent as the resolute visitors had to settle for a point.

Charlton: Ikeme; Youga, Basey, Youga, S Sodje, Dailly; Sam, Semedo, Bailey, Racon (A Sodje 46) ; Burton, Mooney (Llera 31).

Subs (not used): Randolph, Omozusi, Spring, Wagstaff, Shelvey

Goals: Sodje 56

Booked: Semedo 33 (foul on Welsh), Youga 79 (foul on Bowditch)

Sent off: S Sodje 29 (professional foul)

Yeovil: McCarthy; Alcock, Hutchins (Smith 81), Stam, Caulker; Murray (Forbes 69), Kalala, MacDonald, Welsh (Bowditch 60); Mason, Obika.

Subs (not used): O'Callaghan, Williams, Tomlin, Martin.

Goals: Obika 44

Booked: Stam 47 (foul on A Sodje), Hutchins 73 (hand-ball)

Ref: S Hooper

Att: 5,632

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