Charlton Athletic 4 Reading 2: Pardew wants repeat of thrilling Charlton display
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Your support makes all the difference.Alan Pardew has challenged his Charlton players to prove that this excellent performance, in a thrilling encounter of six goals, three penalties and a red card, was not a one-off.
Pardew said: "We've got to aim to do that every week. The problem we had last year was that we had the odd performance like that. I can think of games against Stoke and Crystal Palace when we were hoping we'd get promoted only to blow it the week after.
"We now have a tricky trip to Preston. There, I'm afraid, we're going to have to do the same and if we're going to win that's the level we've got to play at. So there are still some question marks but it was a great performance."
Charlton went 2-0 up courtesy of Matt Holland's first goal at The Valley for four years and a penalty from Andy Gray after Luke Varney's pace forced a foul by Ibrahima Sonko. Between those goals, Reading's Kevin Doyle hit the crossbar with a spot-kick after he was fouled by Jonathan Fortune. After 53 minutes Stephen Hunt converted a penalty at the second attempt to put the Royals level, after Sonko nodded home his third goal of the season on half-time.
Charlton's response was electric, Varney stretching to head home Lloyd Sam's cross from 12 yards. Hameur Bouazza sealed the win with 18 minutes left, with a far-post volley from Sam's cross. The referee, Lee Mason, then gave Sonko a second yellow card for tripping up Bouazza.
Pardew said: "In the context of the game, to have the third penalty retaken because the goalkeeper was two yards off his line was madness. The referee said it was the letter of the law but ... to give that decision was not good management from the officials. However, it seemed to spur us on and after that we were awesome."
Reading's Steve Coppell said: "When we got back to 2-2 I thought the momentum should have been with us. But credit to Charlton, they came back strongly and played with plenty of width and made it hard for us.
"I don't want to complain about the referee but it did appear a jittery and nervous performance."
Goals: Holland (26) 1-0; Gray pen (43) 2-0; Sonko (45) 2-1; S Hunt pen (53) 2-2; Varney (69) 3-2; Bouazza (72) 4-2.
Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Weaver; Moutaouakil (Semedo, 89), Hudson, Fortune, Basey; Sam (Ambrose, 82), Bailey, Holland, Bouazza; Varney, Gray. Substitutes not used: Elliot (gk), Shelvey, Dickson.
Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Rosenior, Sonko, Ingimarsson, S Hunt; Kebe, Harper, Cissé, Convey (N Hunt, 73); Doyle (Long, 78), Lita (Pearce, 85). Substitutes used: Federici (gk), Kelly.
Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).
Booked: Charlton Bouazza; Reading Sonko, N Hunt.
Sent-off: Sonko (84).
Man of the match: Varney.
Attendance: 20,020.
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