Charlton Athletic apathy won’t be lifted by one victory – with Portsmouth the start of a tricky run of fixtures

A first League One win in nine matches, and more than one goal scored in that competition for only the third time this season – that can only be good news. But one result will not spike optimism yet that Charlton Athletic can make this season any less of a write-off than the last one.

That might sound a critical opening after the Addicks collected maximum points in an entertaining and open match against Exeter City, but it’s the truth.

If I tried to claim that there wasn’t a strong sense of apathy among a hefty swathe of the club’s supporters at the moment then I would be telling porkies.

And you only need to have been at The Valley for the matches against Exeter, Oxford United or Forest Green Rovers to know that.

When fans feel a team is going places there is an expectant buzz and attendances are healthy.

The mood at Charlton has been flat and downbeat. Attendances at The Valley are concerning, particularly considering we’re little more than three months into the season.

The announced crowd on Tuesday was 11,411 but the actual figure is believed to have been less than 7,000, and that included 833 supporting the visitors from Devon.

The turnout for Forest Green Rovers was in the same ballpark.

You can make a case for the rise in living costs being a factor and that these are not the more high-profile opposition in League One, but there also seems little appetite from punters to bear witness to their team again falling comfortably short of reaching the play-offs.

Charlton aren’t hopelessly adrift of sixth place. Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Exeter City put them four points behind Barnsley, who have a match in hand. But now comes a run that includes Portsmouth and Ipswich at home with Shrewsbury away sandwiched in. Tricky.

By way of context, this is still the second lowest total that the Addicks have had after 13 League One games  in their last nine campaigns at this level. Although it is seven points more than they had in the 2021-22 season, a joyless grind which needs to be obliterated from memory.

Only four teams in the division have lost fewer times than Charlton this season. What has held Ben Garner’s side back has been seven draws, only Fleetwood Town have shared the spoils as often.

A lack of cutting edge and finishing off opportunities has been one of their deficiencies, an impressive xg [expected goals] not matched by results. But Exeter arrived in SE7 prepared to have a go and happy to leave gaps at the back.

Miles Leaburn, whose performances and scoring form have been an undoubted highlight, punished them with an excellent early finish.

Garner conceded his team had finally had some lucky breaks, both for Alex Hartridge’s own goal and the way fortune favoured Chuks Aneke, both for his finish and also the way George Dobson’s shot was deflected into his path.

Fulham loanee Jay Stansfield leathered a superb half-volley past Joe Wollacott and Jack Sparkes nearly made it two thunderbolt finishes from the visitors, only for his rocket to crash down off the bar.

“We had our chances to level it up,” said Exeter’s joint interim boss Kevin Nicholson. “If we’d done that it would’ve been really hard for Charlton to respond after the run they’ve been on.”

Instead Aneke took the contest away from last season’s League Two runners-up.

The diminutive Jack Payne temporarily transformed into Jayden Stockley to aggressively head home Corey Blackett-Taylor’s cross.

Garner was left unimpressed by referee Craig Hicks’ decision to award a late spot-kick to Exeter. Sam Nombe, knocked off the ball by Aneke in the box, stepping up to beat Joe Wollacott.

And yet it could not all be positive for Charlton. Injuries have been a consistent bugbear and Leaburn was forced off with an ankle injury. Scouts from numerous clubs were in the directors’ box to run the rule over the 18-year-old, who has already scored five times.

Charlton finally had three fit frontmen to choose from and now it could be straight back down to two.

If Leaburn is not ruled out for any serious length of time then there is every chance clubs will bid for him in January, a repeat of a year ago when owner Thomas Sandgaard opted to sell Mason Burstow to Chelsea, although he was loaned back until the summer.

But the US-based Dane risks his popularity taking more of a hit, particularly as Leaburn has quickly made himself a firm fans’ favourite, if he does do business at the start of 2023.

Charlton have shown in recent years there is no issue producing or nurturing young talent. But they have not been anywhere near as successful at keeping hold of them for a sustained period of time.

STAR MAN
George Dobson. Vision to set Leaburn free for his opener and never stopped grafting.

BEST MOMENT
Chuks Aneke scoring with quite possibly his first touch. The big forward has had a rotten time with injuries and he finally had a moment to smile about.