Charlton drop points again as they draw with Plymouth Argyle

Goals from Chris Gunter and Marcus Maddison ensured that Charlton Athletic drew 2-2 with Plymouth Argyle to move into the play-off places in Sky Bet League One.

The Addicks were 1-0 down within six minutes when striker Ryan Hardie beat a couple of players on the left wing and went to the byline to cut it back for his strike partner Luke Jephcott to slot the ball between goalkeeper Ben Amos’ legs.

Charlton’s first chance of the game came in the 22nd minute as Ian Maatsen and Conor Washington combined down the left wing but Washington saw his effort saved by goalkeeper Michael Cooper.

Charlton finally equalised in the 32nd minute from a corner by midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey which was flicked on and defender Chis Gunter was on hand to volley the ball into the net to get the Addicks back in the game.

Four minutes later, the visitors regained their lead as Luke Jephcott doubled his tally in the game. Midfielder Conor Grant’s deflected free kick found its way to Jephcott who took a touch in the box and put the ball in the bottom corner. Charlton’s players were calling for an offside, but those calls came to no avail.

Into the two minutes of added time, Charlton had a chance to level the game again just before half time as Ian Maatsen drove through the midfield and sent his effort from outside the box crashing off the cross bar.

It would would take until the 67th minute for Charlton to equalise through substitute midfielder Marcus Maddison. The former Peterborough playmaker’s superb effort from twenty five yards flew into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.

For the final twenty minutes of the game, the match turned into cagey affair. There were few clear cut chances created from either team to collect the three points. The only chance really was with fifteen minutes left when Conor Washington blazed a shot way over the goal from the edge of the eighteen yard box after a low cross from Maddison.

This result for the visitors has really brought stability into their performance. Before today, Plymouth Argyle had only won one game out of their last seven, losing the previous six league games in a row. Their midweek win against MK Dons and a point at play-off hopefuls Charlton Athletic gives them a platform to start collecting points to go up the table.

As for Charlton Athletic, they were the favourites to win this game and dropped two crucial points for their push for promotion back into the Championship. Their next game is in seven days next weekend away at Hull City who are currently third and a point behind the automatic promotion places.

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