Sport

Charlton laugh last in a comedy of errors

Charlton revived their hopes of avoiding relegation with their first Premiership win since October 24th courtesy of some comical…

Tue Feb 09 1999 - 00:00

Charlton revived their hopes of avoiding relegation with their first Premiership win since October 24th courtesy of some comical Wimbledon defending.

Martin Pringle gave the home side the lead after 36 minutes, beating Neil Sullivan from 10 yards after both Dean Blackwell and Chris Perry failed to clear.

Wimbledon gift-wrapped the three points on 68 minutes following a farcical mix-up between Blackwell and Sullivan as they tried to collect Chris Powell's hopeful centre, the ball bouncing off the goalkeeper and then the defender's legs and into the empty net.

It was the kind of luck Alan Curbishley's side needed after taking just one point from their last 10 league matches, the victory lifting them above Southampton on goal difference.

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And with John Barnes signing from Newcastle before kick-off until the end of the season, the Valley faithful at last had some reason to be optimistic about their chances of survival.

They restricted the disappointing visitors to a couple of half chances with 17-year-old Paul Konchesky - Charlton's youngest ever first team player as a 16-year-old last year - impressive on his full debut at left back.

Wimbledon could have gone sixth with a victory, but with John Hartson anonymous they never looked seriously like achieving that win and have now gone 277 minutes without a league goal.

Wimbledon's greatest threat came from the air, Hartson glancing a header just wide of Simon Royce's far post on 21 minutes from Neal Ardley's cross.

Mills was then robbed in the centre circle allowing Mark Kennedy to race clear down the leftwing and Carl Tiler did well to slide in and intercept his dangerous low cross with Hartson lurking at the back post.

Charlton chants of "We are staying up" may prove a trifle premature with Liverpool visiting on Saturday, but at least they have given themselves a fighting chance.

Charlton: Royce, Mills, Tiler, Brown, Konchesky, Robinson (Newton 69), Redfearn, Kinsella, Powell, Hunt, Pringle. Subs Not Used: Ilic, Jones, Barness, Bright. Booked: Redfearn. Goals: Pringle 37, Blackwell 68 og.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Perry, Blackwell, Thatcher, Roberts, Ardley, Kennedy, Euell (Goodman 84), Cort (Hughes 62), Hartson. Subs Not Used: Heald, Kimble, Castledine. Booked: Hughes. Att: 20,002.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).