I think before the game, and based on their recent form, I'd have taken a draw. That was without seeing Charlton at all this season.
Then I saw them, saw how we controlled the game, deservedly got ahead, and had a number of other good opportunities. It is a big two points dropped, but hopefully we can recover these elsewhere in the season but turning a likely draw to an unexpected win.
That being said, when I saw that the Sharp-Clarke partnership was being restored, I had some slight worries and an overall concern we'd revert to the Lump-It-At-Leon tactic from this first few games. For the most part that didn't happen, bar Moore's punts upfield. And in fairness while 90% of those punts gifted away possession, it did work once in allowing Clarke to get the free-kick from which we scored. But I don't like the partnership – both are good players in their own right, but played together their style suits neither. I don't think Done is ideal, but I would say on the games I've seen them play together than Sharp-Done is preferable to Sharp-Clarke.
Duffy was head and shoulders our best player throughout I thought, and we lost some of his impetus when he went off injured. Fleck was also excellent. Coutts had an odd game – his control and short passing was as expected of late, but despite his chant at times he drifted back into the float-a-pass-to-the-opposition Coutts of last season.
Have to also say that Lavery had zero impact when he came on, and on reflection Done would have probably been a better option to keep the pressure on.
Hugely frustrating. But I'm encouraged by Wilder's comments which match my own disappointment. Other than that, decent day – and we were minutes away from everything above being nitpicking a victory.
