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Addicks impress despite Hornets defeat

Danny Graham's early goal defeated Charlton at Vicarage Road on Saturday - but despite the 1-0 loss, Phil Parkinson will take plenty of positives from his side's final pre-season match.

Striker Graham tapped home from close range in the eighth minute after Rob Elliot had tipped away a Marvin Sordell shot, and that proved to be the decisive moment.

However, the Addicks' efforts in Hertfordshire deserved a draw at the very least.

The closest the visitors came to an equaliser was when the outstanding Kyel Reid's trickery on the right allowed him to clip the ball against the cross bar from the acutest of angles.

And highly-rated Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach made a terrific save in the second period to keep out a stinging drive from Therry Racon.

That Elliot's second significant save came 12 minutes from time pretty much sums up the balance of play at Vicarage Road.

The keeper flung up an arm to deny Graham an undeserved second goal after a slip from Racon.

But for a nervy opening defensively, which saw the hosts take the lead, Charlton were pretty comfortable against a side from a league higher.

Johnnie Jackson's free-kick was just over before the break and Loach foiled Scott Wagstaff as, together with Reid, Charlton's wingers proved a threat on both flanks.

After the break, chances continued to fall the way of the visitors, with Watford holding on for grim mercy at times.

After some hard-running from Akpo Sodje, new signing Pawel Abbott proved a real nuisance down the middle on his first outing for the club, while Reid was a thorn in the side of the Hornets all game.

Loach, and then the post, intervened as the impressive Christian Dailly and second-half substitute Miguel Llera held firm at the back, and further chances went the way of the visitors, who just couldn't break through.

Empty-handed, yes. But Parkinson will be full of optimism with the new League One season just a week away.

Bring on Bournemouth.

In terms of team news, Charlton lined up in a 4-5-1 formation at Vicarage Road - with new signing Abbott's first match in Charlton colours beginning on the bench.

Fellow Friday signing Simon Francis missed out, but Parkinson's five other summer recruits took their place in the starting line-up.

Dailly and Gary Doherty were in the centre of defence with Jackson at left-back. Alan McCormack was in central midfield with Reid wide on the left.

Elliot took his place between the posts with Chris Solly completing the rearguard at right-back.

Jose Semedo and Racon joined McCormack in the middle of the park, Wagstaff was wide on the right and Sodje started on his own up front.

Joining York-born former Poland U21 international striker Abbott on the bench were a number of triallists, including keeper Andy Marshall.

Spaniard Guillem Bauza joined the multicultural reserve ranks alongside countryman Llera, with Alex Stavrinou and Yado Mambo.

The first opening of the game went the way of Watford as Don Cowie met a deep Will Buckley cross at the far post, but his header flew back where it came from, and was eventually cleared away.

At the other end Sodje found himself in space and teed up Wagstaff, whose low drive cannoned back off Lee Hodson.

The winger was warned after catching John Eustace a touch late, and the hosts banked an early lead in the eight minute.

Charlton could count themselves a little unlucky as the ball ricocheted favourably for the hosts, and Sordell reacted sharply inside the box to get a shot in.

Elliot did well to fling out a glove to save, but Graham had gambled on the right and was presented with the simplest of tap-ins from close range.

The Addicks had a good chance to level almost straight from the restart as a long ball forward found Sodje striding clear.

But the striker spurned the opening, scuffing his shot across the face of goal and wide of the left upright.

As the quarter-hour mark arrived, Dailly's fine ball down the left channel was left by Sodge and Reid lofted the ball in with interest only for a diving Loach to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Racon span and shot narrowly over from 20 yards soon afterwards while Dailly got in a good block to foil Sordell after Watford broke dangerously on the left.

Reid curled a free-kick just wide on 29 minutes and after good retrieval work from McCormack on the left, Reid's cross was just too high for Wagstaff who headed off target at the far post.

Wagstaff, a lively presence in the opening period, forced a good save from Loach on 39 minutes. The winger took the ball down well and zipped in a shot that was well turned away by the England U21 keeper.

All the efforts were going Charlton's way at this stage of affairs and when the visitors were awarded a free-kick on the right edge of the box, Jackson stepped up and his dipping, curling effort was fractions off target.

Little had been seen of Watford in an attacking capacity in the second half of the half, and Sordell spun to shoot well wide a minute before the break.

Llera replaced Doherty at the break and McCormack peeled off round the back three minutes in, but could only head into the arms of Loach.

Abbott replaced Semedo after 54 minutes as the Addicks reverted to a 4-4-2 formation and the striker's neat back-heel three minutes later set up Wagstaff to shoot wide of the left upright.

A combination of Dailly and Llera blocked off an effort from Sordell with Mambo and Bauza replacing Solly and Sodje shortly after the hour mark; the towering Mambo slotting in at right-back.

Loach rescued the Hornets midway through the half with a fabulous save from Racon.

Good work from Bauza, to nudge the ball back from inside the box, helped it into the direction of the midfielder whose sizzling drive was brilliantly turned away by the keeper.

Loach also got to Dailly's effort at the subsequent corner, and after 70 minutes Mambo was all alone in the box to meet a Jackson corner from the left but his free header flashed wide.

French triallist Guillaume Norbert - not Jonathan Fortune as announced by the PA man - replaced Wagstaff on the right on 71 minutes - and Bauza'a long range effort was saved by Loach shortly after.

Elliot, scarcely tested since the goal, spared the blushes of Racon 12 minutes from time after the midfielder's mistake let in Graham.

The striker sensed a second goal but Elliot stuck up an arm to turn the ball to safety.

Great play from Reid on the right nine minutes from time, saw the winger twist one way and then the other before clipping in an audacious effort from an acute angle that came back off the bar.

Racon had a well-struck drive well blocked with Watford continually flinging bodies on the line, and Bauza blasted into the pocket of Addicks fans from range going into the final five minutes.

And still the shots rained in with Norbert slicing well wide from the right when he might have pulled the ball back across and there was an almighty let-off for the hosts right on time when Reid's cross ricocheted off a couple of defenders but just eluded a red shirt in the middle.

It summed up Charlton's luck on the day. Hopefully they are getting all their misfortune out of the way in one hit.

Charlton: Elliot; Solly (Mambo 63), Jackson, Dailly, Doherty (Llera 46); Wagstaff (Norbert 71), Semedo (Abbott 54), McCormack, Racon, Reid; Sodje (Bauza 63).

Subs (not used): Marshall, Mambo, Stavrinou, Bauza.

Watford: Loach; Hodson, Doyley, Aldred (Oshodi 57), Mariappa; Cowie, Eustace, McGinn, Buckley; Sordell (Mingoia 75), Graham.

Subs (not used): Gilmartin, Jenkins, Bryan, Whichelow, Henderson.

Goals: Graham 8

Ref: D McDermid

Att: 2,097 (293 Charlton)

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