Charlton returned to the Championship after five years away with a gutsy victory over Leyton Orient, which saw them edge out their London rivals with the kind of resolute defending they have become renowned for this season.
The only goal of the game flew in midway through the half when Macauley Gillesphey’s free kick whipped round the Orient wall before squeezing through the hands of Josh Keeley.
Roared on by close to 40,000 fans, the Addicks then kept the Os at bay, limiting Richie Wellens‘ side to few clear-cut opportunities as a special promotion to the second tier edged closer.
It marked an exceptional 26th clean sheet of the season for the South London side, a club record, which saw them not concede a single goal throughout the play-offs.
Match Action
The game was a tetchy affair, befitting of a nerve-wracking final where so much was at stake.
Bar a few flashed crosses into the box, the opening half an hour saw little by way of goalmouth action, and the deadlock breaker was the first meaningful moment of note.
The Addicks’ young player of the year, Tyreece Campbell, jinked forwards from the left flank before being hauled to the ground by former Charlton defender Rarmani Edmonds-Green.
It set up an inviting free kick on the edge of the box, which was deliciously curled home by Gillesphey, marking a sixth goal of the campaign for the 29-year-old former Plymouth defender, who added to a dream afternoon by picking up the Man of the Match Award.
The first goal of the game was always going to be crucial, with Nathan Jones‘ side having won 28 of the 29 games where they had scored the opener this season.
Confidence was, therefore, understandably in abundance among the Addicks faithful as they went into the break in a position of strength.
Second Half
The second half saw Orient have more of the ball but Charlton’s history making backline was not to be breached.
The two closest moments came within minutes of each other just after the hour mark.
First, Jack Currie fired a long-range effort inches wide of the scrambling Will Mannion’s far post, before League One top scorer Charlie Kellman crashed an effort against the crossbar after his deflected strike looked goal-bound when looping over the keeper.
The Addicks had to endure an excruciating 11 minutes of additional time as Orient poured forwards in increased desperation, but Jones’ side saw the game out to spark wild scenes among the Charlton faithful.
Yesterday’s victory capped off a remarkable turnaround in fortune for Charlton, who went into Christmas languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Just three defeats since mid-January saw Jones’ tenacious team catapult themselves into shock promotion contention, and after breaking into the play-off positions, the South Londoners never looked back.
Now, having returned to the Championship, Charlton fans can dare to dream of a road to redemption, 17 long years after they crashed out of the Premier League.
READ MORE: Charlton Athletic promoted to Championship after beating Leyton Orient in play-off final
By Hugo Varley
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