Euell logs decisive entry for Charlton

Bolton Wanderers 1 Charlton Athletic

For much of this ultimately modest encounter, Bolton looked a side well capable of grabbing a first victory of the campaign. Their all-round play was more constructive and their passing generally more incisive. But as the game wallowed in the latter part of the opening period and again after the break, their grip slackened and the gutsier approach of their opponents proved decisive. Given that both sides are likely to be competing in the League's lower reaches this season, the scalp is a valuable one for the Addicks.

The game's opening featured a breathless flurry by the home side, who were ahead within 80 seconds after a speedy combination of passes deep in the Charlton half. The move was orchestrated by the busy Youri Djorkaeff with the ball ultimately falling to Paul Warhurst, who struck magnificently from 25 yards only to see his shot saved one-handed through the agility of Dean Kiely. The power in the shot, however, saw the ball loop behind the goalkeeper for a tap-in for Djorkaeff who alone tracked its flight.

Invigorated, Bolton continued to threaten. Djorkaeff foxed the visiting defence by squarely rolling his free-kick into the path of Warhurst, whose shot, while lacking the power of his earlier effort, found its way through the bodies and ricocheted just wide.

Ricardo Gardner should have converted after some good work from Henrik Pederson, who cut through the left channel and flighted a cross to the far post but Gardner appeared to lack the confidence to finish the move and headed poorly.

With Charlton feeding on scraps and forcing the occasional corner, a dead ball looked increasingly their best means of competing, and so it proved. There appeared little danger when, following a corner, Richard Rufus had the ball at his feet in the box but fell under a challenge from Bruno N'Gotty and, with a slightly scuffed shot, Chris Bart-Williams converted the spot-kick. Soon after, Pederson was denied a similar outcome after he appeared to be tripped by Rufus.

Sam Allardyce, Bolton's manager, bemoaned the decisions. "I am extremely disappointed in the referee," he said. "Their penalty was nothing of the sort and our appeal was clear cut." Perhaps distracted by the decisions, the verve and rhythm fell out of Bolton 's approach, allowing Charlton into the game. Jonatan Johansson twice nearly profited, firstly with a header just over the bar then with a fine run and shot that was steered off-course by a goal-saving challenge by N'Gotty.

With the game now in a mire, chances were sparse. Jason Euell tested Jussi Jaaskelainen with a shot from an acute angle but the keeper palmed the ball to safety. His defence was culpable when Charlton took the lead. With too much head-scratching about which red-shirted player each defender should be tracking, Johansson took advantage, darted through the statues and found Euell in ample space to score his side's second easily.

Bolton Wanderers 1
Djorkaeff 2

Charlton Athletic 2
Bart-Williams pen 2, Euell 71

Half-time: 1-1 Attendance: 21,753