Miserable weekend for Charlton loanees

It was a fairly miserable weekend for the six Charlton players currently out on loan.

In League One, Chris Dickson played just over an hour of the final game of his three-month spell with Bristol Rovers as the Pirates went down to a 2-0 defeat to Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.

Goals from Craig Curran and Gareth Edds helped Tranmere record a crucial victory, to the disappointment of Rovers manager Paul Trollope, who said afterwards: "It was a disappointing performance and a disappointing result.

"We seem to have lost the magic formula away from home. We really didn't perform at all well and got exactly what we deserved. Their second goal was a real blow at a time we looked like getting back in the game. But we lacked urgency and we have gone down to seventh in the table.

"The players are capable of a lot better. We got nowhere near the necessary level, although had we scored instead of hitting the bar early in the second half, it could have changed things."

Dickson, who hit four goals during his time at The Memorial Ground, will now return to the Addicks, with Phil Parkinson insisting the striker could still play a part for Charlton this term.

Speaking on Thursday, Parkinson said: "We'll see how he is in training, get to January and assess the situation. But from next week, he's back training with us and in contention for a place.

"Bristol haven't said they don't want to sign him, but my thoughts are that if they haven't opened discussions to keep him permanently, then they're happy for him to come back."

Also in League One, Stuart Fleetwood was an unused substitute as Exeter City ended a run of four successive defeats with a 1-0 home win over Southend United.

Fleetwood will hope to be involved when the Grecians travel to Southampton on Boxing Day (3pm). Southampton are of course managed by Alan Pardew, who took Fleetwood to The Valley from non-League Forest Green Rovers in summer 2008.

In League Two, Dean Sinclair and Barnet saw their game at Accrington Stanley fall victim to the weather. Barnet travel to Aldershot Town on Boxing Day (3pm).

There was no game for Alex Stavrinou at the weekend, either, as Ebbsfleet United's Blue Square Premier fixture with Histon was postponed due to a frozen Stonebridge Road pitch. The Fleet host Julian Dicks' Grays Athletic on Boxing Day (3pm).

In the Ryman Premier Division, Jack Clark had a free Saturday after Bognor Regis Town's away game at Hendon was postponed. Bognor are in action on Tuesday night (7.45pm) when they face Leatherhead in the Championship Manager Cup.

Finally, in Scotland, Yassin Moutaouakil played the full 90 minutes but Motherwell were thumped 6-1 by Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox.

Kenny Miller's superb strike gave Rangers the lead early on and Kris Boyd poked in a second on 53 minutes. Miller beat the offside trap to score before Shaun Hutchinson bulleted home a header for the visitors.

Kyle Lafferty tapped home Rangers' fourth and six, either side of a DaMarcus Beasley close-range strike. Motherwell are at home to St Johnstone on Boxing Day (3pm).