Charlton Athletic 3-2 Bristol City: Addicks end winless run thanks to Bonne brace and Doughty strike during Boxing Day thriller

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Charlton finally ended their 11-game winless run after a Boxing Dar thriller at The Valley.

Having led at half-time thanks to Macauley Bonne’s first of the game, Bristol City had turned the game on its head with goals from Andreas Weimann and Niclas Eliasson within fifteen minutes of the restart.

But a second from Bonne, followed up by a first ever Addicks goal from 19-year-old Alfie Doughty meant the hosts tasted victory for the first time since mid-October.

The visitors, whose arrival at The Valley was delayed by the Boxing Day traffic in South London, controlled the possession in the opening stages but with little to show for it. Famara Diedhiou dragged wide after being set up thanks to a marauding stroll forward by defender Taylor Moore, with Lee Bowyer’s side soon playing their way back into the contest.

Bonne saw an effort deflected wide of the near-post after a decent ball in from Deji Oshilaja, with Lyle Taylor then denied by a block on the edge of the area as the hosts started to build the pressure on Lee Johnson’s Robins.

A wicked delivery from Alfie Doughty nearly led to the opening goal as Naby Sarr’s deft flicked header drifted wide, but the home team would have the lead at the break thanks to Bonne.

In almost a carbon-copy of his goal at Ashton Gate earlier on in the season, City goalkeeper Daniel Bentley came racing off his line to try and beat Bonne to a ball over the top but the striker was there first to lift into an empty net and claim his sixth of the campaign.

The mood amongst the home support was positive at the break – but had soured as the game was turned on its head within fifteen minutes of the restart.

Just 43 seconds of the second-half had been played when Weimann rose highest to nod a cross into the bottom corner – with further bad news to follow as Conor Gallagher became the latest addition to Charlton’s injury list.

Substitute Eliasson then capitalised on a loose ball inside the area to nutmeg Dillon Phillips and complete the comeback for visitors.

An Albie Morgan free-kick was headed onto the crossbar by a Bristol City defender as the Addicks looked for a way back into it – and they turned it around in a dramatic four-minute blitz.

Bonne levelled the scores with twelve minutes left on the clock. The ball was lofted into the area and the former Orient man did superbly to muscle his way in and fire home from a tight angle and bag his second of the afternoon – and he wasn’t done yet.

The striker was sent away down the right and delivered a teasing low cross. Doughty, who scored twice in the National League before his loan spell at Bromley was cut short, arrived at the far-stick to bundle home at the second time of asking.

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS/PAUL EDWARDS