No matter how good a manager or team are, they need an element of good fortune to be successful. The dividing line between success and failure is wafer thin and a touch of luck at the right time is needed.

The best managers are supposedly those blessed with good fortune and there is ample evidence that Chris Powell may be amongst their number.

Powell only has one specialist right-back and Chris Solly has sound claims to be considered the most improved player at the club. He has also been fortunate to have been fit all season. Similarly, Bradley Wright-Phillips – Bury aside – has been available all season. Given the frailty of Wright-Phillips’ knees, this is remarkable. The only other natural goal scorer amongst the senior players is Paul Benson, a player Powell clearly doesn’t rate.

Neil Warnock wanted to get some games into Hogan Ephraim and suggested the player should go on loan. Ephraim and his agent were not keen on any of the Championship sides who came in for him so they offered Ephraim’s services to Charlton.

Powell and Alex Dyer were well aware of his abilities from his time at West Ham. Now Charlton were not short of options on the left. Both Rhoys Wiggins and Cedric Evina are good enough to play further up the pitch if Johnnie Jackson is unavailable. Callum Harriott is another option.

Ephraim was on the bench at Brentford and came on for his debut when Jackson was injured. His first start saw him score the second goal against Huddersfield followed by creating Yann Kermorgant’s equaliser at Walsall. Fortuitous timing or what?

Yesterday’s incident? One of Powell’s favoured options in the last quarter of a match is to introduce Scott Wagstaff to run at a tiring defence. Danny Green is normally the player to make way, Green rarely plays the full ninety minutes.

Though he travelled with the squad, Wagstaff was injured and could not play yesterday. Now, Charlton richly deserved their win but they did leave it deperately late before securing the three points.

Danny Green was delighted with his superb strike to open his Charlton account but……….would he even have been on the pitch if Wagstaff had not been injured?