Blues slump to third defeat in a row

Charlton 3 Birmingham 1

Francis Jeffers came off the bench to inspire Charlton to their first Barclays Premiership win of 2005, a 3-1 victory over Birmingham at The Valley.

The former Everton and Arsenal striker found himself starting on the bench, but wasted little time in having an impact when he came on just after an hour.

He set up Shaun Bartlett, the man who had replaced him in the starting XI, as Charlton regained the lead following Mario Melchiot’s equaliser to Tal El Karkouri’s bizarre opener, before then releasing Danny Murphy with 15 minutes left to make sure of victory which keeps the Addicks in touch with the top six.

The opening exchanges had been scrappy, and it was some seven minutes before the first clear chance of the match arrived. Murphy sent a drive just over from the edge of the Birmingham penalty area after a good knockdown from Bartlett, fit again after a hamstring injury.

The Addicks then took the lead in bizarre fashion after being awarded a free-kick on the left, just in from the by-line around 40 yards out.

With plenty of men to aim for, El Karkouri launched the ball in to the penalty box. Bartlett jumped for it with Kenny Cunningham, but made no contact. And as the loose ball dropped, it bounced over last-man Matthew Upson and then sneaked past a bewildered Maik Taylor into the far corner, with the Moroccan left to accept the congratulations for his fifth goal of the season.

It could have been 2-0 in the 14th minute when Jerome Thomas found space on the left for a lovely chip across the box, which just eluded the on-rushing Bartlett.

Clinton Morrison won Birmingham a free-kick right on the 18-yard line after being man-handled by El Karkouri after 21 minutes. Darren Anderton, however, could only smash the dead-ball straight into the wall from a central position, with Bartlett then heading Stephen Clemence’s half-volley clear from the goal-line.

In the 28th minute, the Moroccan almost had a second when he met Murphy’s corner from the right with a bullet header, only to see Taylor produce a fine one-handed stop.

Upson went into the referee’s book in the 35th minute after a poorly-timed tackle on Bartlett as the South African looked to surge clear. This time, however, Taylor decided to take no chances, coming to collect the high ball into his penalty area.

And the one-time England defender was fortunate not to pick up a second caution moments later when he tripped Thomas right in front of Chris Foy, the Merseyside official showing leniency.

Morrison put the ball in the net after 37 minutes, but had strayed at least two yards offside before Anderton then tested Dean Kiely’s reflexes with a 20-yard drive, the Charlton keeper needing to parry before collecting the ball.

Heskey almost got clear in the 52nd minute, but the ball would just not come down quick enough for the ex-England striker, which allowed Charlton’s defence to hustle him out of possession. It was not long, though, before it was 1-1.

Anderton’s out-swinging corner from the left was met with a powerful header from Melchiot six yards out, the Dutchman giving Kiely no chance the ball flashed into the top corner on 55 minutes.

In the 62nd minute, Charlton made a change when Rommedahl was replaced by Jeffers.

Anderton’s run and cross down the right had Kiely flapping, but the Charlton keeper got just enough on it to clear.

And the Addicks immediately broke down the other end to take the lead again after 67 minutes.

Jeffers collected a pass into the right side of the Birmingham box, where he held of Cunningham and drilled in a low cross along the goal-line.

It eluded both Taylor and Upson, but not Bartlett, who timed his run perfectly to slide the ball in at the far post.

Birmingham defender Olivier Tebily was inches away from drilling Hermann Hreidarsson’s looping cross from the left back past his own keeper, the ball flashing just wide of the far post.

Charlton then had Jonathan Fortune to thank when he blocked Melchiot’s drive in the six-yard box, before the Blues were again hit on the break as Murphy made it 3-0 with 15 minutes left.

Thomas collected the ball just outside his own penalty area, before sweeping it up field to Jeffers.

He laid it into the path of the former Liverpool midfielder, who drew the keeper and rolled his shot into the corner.