Football: Mills keeps Charlton dream alive

Black day for Blackburn as last-minute strike gives Curbishley's spirited side final survival hope; NORMAN FOX AT VILLA PARK Aston Villa 3 Charlton Athletic 4 Barry 7, Joachim 66, 79 Barry og 3, Mendonca 56 Robinson 68, Mills 89 Half-time: 1-1 Attendance: 37,705

CHARLTON HAD won at Villa Park only three times in 19 visits. They will never have another victory like this. With 15 seconds of normal time left, drawing 3-3, playing with 10 men, and with an outfield player in goal, their Premiership place could have been slipping away. Then, dramatically, there was a free-kick which was pushed to Danny Mills and he crashed a winning goal to give his team hope.

Failing to beat Blackburn at the Valley seven days before had left Charlton perilously placed, but in a way you still felt that they had become the people's champions, or at least the South's version of Barnsley or Bradford. Anyone with a shred of feeling for the romance of football just had to urge them to survive among the super-rich and over-paid.

Of course, Charlton's res-ources are corner shop compared to Manchester United's megastore, but if football is not to end up boring the designer pants off the public with the monotony of seeing the same few clubs dominate, there must be some Charltons, Barnsleys and Bradfords.

A desolate run of only one win in 10 games mitigated against Charlton's hopes, and when Paul Merson threaded through their penalty area as early as the second minute, they looked to be in dire trouble. But they survived and, only a minute later, a centre from John Robinson arrived as Graham Stuart, Steve Jones and Gareth Barry converged on goal with different intent. The ball rebounded off Barry and into his own goal.

Charlton's unexpected elation lasted less than five minutes before Richard Rufus, who was not exactly under pressure when intercepting a none-too- serious Villa attack, suddenly sliced the ball sideways directly to Barry. Andy Petterson was stranded and Barry comfortably planted in the equaliser.

Charlton's troubled situation took them to the edge of self-control. Every referee's decision that went against them was vehemently contested. It was not pretty, but no one expected this to be a match of beauty. Villa tried to compose themselves defensively and in midfield but Charlton's marauding right-back Mills, kept driving forward just as he had against Blackburn the previous week and all through the season.

Charlton's tension resurfaced when Robinson tackled Stone deep inside their penalty area. Stone fell and was immediately accused of cheating and pushed by Robinson. Surprisingly the referee opted out of any action. It did Charlton's frame of mind no good, as for Villa, they seemed unsure whether to reinforce an attack lacking Dion Dublin or defend their point. It all made for an untidy affair.

With Southampton also drawing, Charlton knew that they faced the second half in an unchanged situation - victory still paramount. Having to contend with a suddenly fully-involved Paul Merson was ominous, but they coped well enough and even managed to produce some solid possession play of their own.

Curiously, just as they gave the impression of wanting to play with more midfield consideration, a long 56th-minute clearance by Petterson was flicked on by Jones and Clive Mendonca - the player whose goals in the play-off at Wembley last year gave Charlton their Premiership place - ran on to beat the isolated Michael Oakes.

Charlton worked furiously to retain their lead but it lasted only until the 65th minute when Julian Joachim was left with yards of space as he moved on to the substitute Darius Vassell's pass to comfortably slide a shot beyond Petterson.

Charlton were far from defeated and not only recovered but went ahead. Jones had played Mendonca in for a hopeful shot. Oakes parried the ball. Robinson, to the left of goal, blasted a shot that Gareth Southgate's acrobatics on the line could not stop.

A minute later, after Ugo Ehiogu had forced Petterson to save superbly at full length, Joachim equalised, cleverly turning on a loose ball in the goal area.

Yet this astonishing drama had another twist when Petterson rashly came out of his penalty area and crashed into Joachim. The referee had no choice but to send off Petterson and award a free-kick which came to nothing against Steve Brown, an outfield substitute, who had taken Petterson's place - the London side having no replacement keeper on the bench. Yet Brown acted with all the defiance that his side had shown all afternoon.

Even then there was drama to come. Martin Pringle, who had broken through, was pulled down by Villa's Steve Watson. The former Newcastle man was also sent off. Mark Kinsella tapped the ensuing free-kick to one side and, amazingly and deservedly, Mills hammered in a winning goal to leave Charlton a final chance against Sheffield Wednesday next Sunday.

Mills, though such a driving force in this game, was perhaps fortunate to be in the position of match-winner since, on two occasions, other stricter referees might have cautioned him or even sent him off.