Emerton had penalty claims waved away

THE Charlton fans may have booed referee Steve Dunn from the field of play following their sides' 1-0 win over Rovers, but in truth they should have been giving him a standing ovation.

For his decision not to award Rovers a penalty on 73 minutes after Hermann Hreidarsson clearly handled Brett Emerton's cross was certainly the talking point in a rather scrappy encounter at the Valley.

Talal El Karkouri's header three minutes into the second half was the only goal of the game, and Mark Hughes' men will come away from The Valley wondering quite how they failed to get any points from this match, despite them having the better chances and with Dean Kiely the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Mark Hughes made two changes from the side that defeated Portsmouth just over a week ago. With Craig Short out with a knee injury, Lorenzo Amoruso returns to the starting eleven. And goal hero Matt Jansen earns himself his first Premiership start since Arsenal last season, coming in at left wing with Morten Gamst Pedersen dropping to the bench.

The first half was very scrappy indeed, but Rovers probably shaded it on chances with Charlton enjoying the better possession.

The best chance of the first half fell to Garry Flitcroft just seven minutes into the game. The play centred around the edge of the penalty area, with Jonathan Stead and Matt Jansen both showing the kind of battling that the manager has called for, Jansen's persistence pays off when he plays the ball in at the near post, Flitcroft arrives and strikes the ball beautifully, but his shot comes back off the near post.

Some five minutes later and it is the tenacious Paul Dickov who forces a fine save, receiving the ball on the edge of the area he twisted and turned before curling a superb shot towards Dean Kiely's far post. The former Republic of Ireland international gets a strong hand on the ball to deny the Rovers striker.

The home side didn't trouble Friedel into making a save in the first half, but Michael Gray and Dominic Matteo both made excellent defensive clearances when the Addicks threatened.

But all Rovers good work in the first half was undone within the opening moments of the second half. First they allowed El Karkouri to run unchallenged to the edge of the Rovers penalty area before he fed a superb pass through to Kevin Lisbie, the Charlton forward struck the ball first time and it curled inches away fro Friedel's far post.

But things got worse moments later when from a Danny Murphy corner, El Karkouri arrived unmarked to head down into the back of the net for his first goal for Charlton.

Rovers went so close to getting back on level terms on 50 minutes when Brett Emerton ran at the Charlton defence, played it to Stead on the edge of the area with his back to goal, he laid it back to Flitcroft who ran in and struck the shot first time, but Dean Kiely tipped the ball over the bar.

From the resulting corner, Kiely missed the cross, the ball fell invitingly to Flitcroft on the edge of the box, he poked it forward towards the goal, it was only half cleared on the line, Amoruso forced it back goalwards, but somehow the home side managed to get the ball off the line and away for a corner kick.

Dickov can't force the ball home

Then followed a period of Rovers pressure where they won no less than four corners in quick succession, but despite a range of spot kicks, Rovers were unable to break through the resolute Charlton back line.

Dean Kiely saved comfortably from a Brett Emerton free kick and a Paul Dickov low effort, whilst Jonathan Stead showed good skill to turn and shoot left-footed on the edge of the area, but the ball flashed over the corner of post and bar.

It was Stead's last involvement in the game as Mark Hughes made his first changes of the game, throwing on Bothroyd and Tugay for Stead and Flitcroft.

Rovers then had claims for a penalty waved away when Emerton's cross clearly struck the arm of Hreidarsson, but referee Steve Dunn waved away Rovers' claims.

Bothroyd's headed knockdown almost played in Dickov with eight minutes to go, but Kiely was first to the ball to deny the Scottish international.

But it wasn't all Rovers as Charlton had two golden opportunities to wrap the game up. Firstly a long ball up field found substitute Jason Euell running down the left hand channel, his centre finds Kevin Lisbie in the area, he turns and sets up Kishishev, the Bulgarian shifts the ball to the left and shoots, but somehow Brad Friedel gets a hand to the ball to push it around the post.

From the resulting corner Charlton had another chance, Murphy's kick went over everyone and found Stuart unmarked at the back post, his clipped pass back into the area finds Jason Euell unmarked, but somehow he headed the ball over the bar.

Rovers continued to press, as they had for the majority of the game, but despite their best efforts they were unable to get the goal that their play deserved.

CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, Stuart, Perry, Lisbie, Jeffers (sub Johansson 12 mins, sub Euell 75 mins), Hreidarsson, Murphy, El Karkouri, Hughes (sub Kishishev 75 mins), Fortune.

Subs: Andersen, Rommedahl.

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Matteo, Gray, Emerton, Flitcroft (sub Tugay 69 mins), Ferguson, Jansen, Stead (sub Bothroyd 69 mins), Dickov.

Subs: Enckelman, Gamst Pedersen, Johansson.

Attendance: 26,193

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