Those of you who have been to Newcastle know how high the away section at St James’ Park is. The higher tier of the away section at Molineux is not far behind in terms of height, definitely not a place vertigo sufferers would enjoy.
As expected, Chris Powell fielded the same team that performed so well at Elland Road in the week. Matt Taylor provided the defensive back up on the bench with Callum Harriott dropping out.
Charlton have developed a worrying trait of starting slowly and this game was no exception. Salim Kerkar had the only effort worthy of the name for the visitors in the first half. His effort from the edge of the box went narrowly wide of Carl Ikeme’s right hand post after 37 minutes.
Wolves went ahead in the twelfth minute. Jermaine Pennant fed Kevin Foley on the overlap. Foley’s cross was met on the volley by Bakary Sako who gave Hamer no chance.
Chris Powell must have delivered his usual Churchillian half-time talk as the Addicks looked a different team when they emerged for the second half. For the second time in four days they levelled shortly after the restart. But first they had a narrow escape.
Dorian Dervite lost the ball in midfield and Wolves played it to Pennant on the right. His cross was met by Kevin Doyle. Doyle’s header was cleared off the line but fell perfectly for Tongo Doumbia to strike. His fierce effort struck Doyle to deny Wolves a second goal.
Shortly after, Cedric Evina sprinted down the left to deliver a perfect cross for Rob Hulse. Ikeme foiled the on loan striker but the ball fell kindly for Lawrie Wilson to convert from close range. The Addicks had 35 minutes to look for a winner and they came very close to finding one.
After an hour Hulse struck the outside of the post with a header. Hulse ran himself into the ground but squandered a golden chance to wrap up the three points when he headed a right-wing cross wide from close in as the game entered stoppage time.
The archetypal game of two halves, if only Charlton could produce their second half form for the entire ninety minutes they would be far higher in the table.
Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Cort, Morrison, Evina; Wilson, Dervite, Jackson, Pritchard (Hollands 90), Kerkar (Cook 84); Hulse.
Subs (not used): Button, Taylor, Razak, Green, Wright-Phillips.
Goal: Wilson 57.
Booked: Hulse 88 (foul).
Wolves: Ikeme; Foley, Berra, Johnson, Ward; Pennant (Forde 82), Henry (Edwards 82) Sako; Doyle, Ebanks-Blake (Sigurdarson 46).
Subs (not used): De Vries, Stearman, Batth, Davis.
Goal: Sako 12.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Attn: 22,198.