Late Bauer goal sinks Sunderland hearts

Charlton 2 : 1 Sunderland

A late goal by captain Patrick Bauer guaranteed Charlton promotion to the Championship after a tough but deserved  2-1 win over Sunderland.

Two clubs who battled it out on the opening day of the season met at its close with a different result. After a comical own goal by Mouhamadou-Naby Sarr, who was taken off at half time, the Valiants survived to come from behind and win through goals by Ben Purrington and Bauer either side of half time.

As a result, Charlton will join neighbours Millwall in the Championship and another London side Orient as a side promoted this season.

Dillon Phillips made the first save of the game but when he rolled the ball out to Sarr, the Frenchman under no pressure passed it back to his keeper who was standing somewhere else. It was a  gift goal met by bewilderment on the Charlton bench.

Things could have got worse very quickly when referee Andy Madley did not call a handball against Charlton captain Patrick Bauer. They did worsen though for Max Power who had received treatment earlier, as he was removed for Lewis Morgan.

Honeyman produced a fine save from Phillips but it was all Sunderland at that point, Darren Pratley’s frustration showed with an inelegant tackle on Luke O’Nien.

Lyle Taylor looked stylish with a 28th minute volley but it went way over when most would say he should have at least hit the target.

The Valiants then had ten minutes of almost total domination, which ended with a deserved goal. Joe Aribo passed the ball to Abfernee Dijksteel, but it was Lyle Taylor’s splendid cross ball that evaded all bar  Purrington who tapped in at the back post. The cross was that good that even evaded Purrington’s teammate Darren Pratley.

Credit: AFC Sunderland / Twitter

At half time, Charlton manager Lee Bowyer removed Sarr for Jason Pearce.

The second half was if anything even gritter than the first. Referee Madley had to stop the game for a series of petty fouls, and then tried to end it by booking Sunderland  substitute Will Grigg for a tackle that was barely a foul at all.

Charlton were the better side for most of the half but had not made anything of it. Bowyer introduced Jonny Williams to replace Pratley. Charlie Wyke was replaced Aiden McGeady for Sunderland.

Still neither side looked likely to strike the decisive blow that would avoid extra time. And just when it looked improbable came the magic moment.

Aribo’s trickery fed Josh Cullen. His cross found Bauer whose initial shot was blocked by Flanagan but he netted the rebound from an almost prone position.

Attendance 76,155

Referee; Andy Madley

Sunderland: McLaughlin; Oviedo, Ozturk, Cattermole, Maguire, Wyke, Honeyman (c), Flanagan, O’Nien, Leadbitter, Power

Subs: Stryjek, Mattews, Gooch, Morgan, McGeady, Grigg, Dunne.

Charlton XI: Phillips. Bauer, Purrington, Pratley. Cullen, Sarr, Parker, Aribo, Dijksteel, Bielik, Taylor

Maxwell, Pearce, Forster-Caskey, Reeves, Solly, Williams, Lapslie