Charlton will be left disappointed with a point in a tale of two halves against Sunderland at the Valley.
Luke O’Nien opened the scoring for the Black Cats in a half they dominated as Lee Bowyer’s side looked nervy.
The Addicks looked a different side after the break and were rewarded when Reece James turned into his own net as they looked to gain the upper hand in the promotion race.
Worst Start Possible
The visitors got off to the perfect start inside two minutes.
Some neat play down the left between Aiden McGeady and Reece James resulted in a cross which Bauer could only flick on leaving O’Nien to nonchalantly volley home from the angle 12-yards out.
The ease in which Anfernee Djiksteel was left exposed was a worrying sign, and Sunderland exploited the right-back channel for the remainder of the half.
The Addicks had little to cheer about as the free scoring Lyle Taylor and Karlan Grant cut frustrated figures chasing lost causes.
The visitors should’ve doubled their lead on 35 minutes.
Lynden Gooch seeing his strike hit the cross bar from the angle and Charlie Wyke making a hash of the rebound.
As the half drew to a close, Charlton buoyed by the relentless home support grew in to the game.
Mounting pressure, Tariqe Fosu, Grant and Taylor became prominent and dragged their team up the pitch and managed to sustain a barrage of attacks.
The closest the Addicks came to Jon McLaughlin’s goal however was a Krystian Bielik effort which went wide from 20-yards.
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Half Time Magic
Bowyer must’ve said some magic words at half time as his side came out flying in the second half.
Within five minutes Taylor had got his side’s level through a wicked cross which was put into his own onion bag by James.
The home fans, now in full voice, thought they’d taken the lead five minutes later as Pratley saw his free header go the wrong side of the upright. The midfielder knows he should’ve done better.
January signing Jonny Williams entered the fray on 70 minutes and looked a live-wire, crossingf with quality you'd expect from a Premier League player.
The chances came for Bowyer’s men.
The biggest falling to Grant on 75 minutes, somehow skewing his effort wide from four yards after a cross that missed everyone fell to him at the back post.
As Charlton attacked they left space at the back and Sunderland nearly capitalised, but Phillips stood strong making two decent saves from substitute Duncan Watmore.
Watmore could've stolen the points late on but saw his effort blaze over from 10 yards much to the relief if the home support.
Charlton will feel they should've got more than a point from the game, but on reflection honours even was a fair result.
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