Patrick Bauer netted
a 94th minute winner for Charlton Athletic to defeat Sunderland at
Wembley to grab promotion to the SkyBet Championship after winning the League
One Play-Off final in dramatic style.
The Black Cats were back at the National Stadium for the
second time in 56 days following their appearance in the Checkatrade Trophy
Final which they had lost on penalties to Portsmouth, but ironically it was
them who Sunderland beat in the Semi-Finals over two legs to reach this final.
Charlton had finished the season strongly and had sneaked
past both Portsmouth and Sunderland into third spot to set up a semi final
against Doncaster, which they ended up winning on penalties in a dramatic
second leg at The Valley.
Both The Addicks and the Black Cats had met in their very
first game of the season, which Sunderland ran out 2-1 winners at The Stadium
Of Light way back in August, and they would both end the season against each
other too, and with the reverse fixture in January finishing 1-1, this was
predicted to be another close encounter.
No one could have predicted what was to happen early on
though, as Sunderland were gifted the lead in just the fifth minute, as
Charlton defender Naby Sarr sent a backpass towards goal which keeper Dillon
Phillips completely missed and saw the ball roll into the bottom corner of the
goal. Not the ideal start for the
Addicks but a lovely present for the Black Cats.
Sunderland could of added to their lead too, firstly having
a penalty appeal turned down when Charlie Wyke’s half-volley struck Bauer on
the arm, and then secondly when Grant Leadbitter saw a low effort tipped wide
by Phillips, as Charlton failed to settle in the opening twenty minutes.
But leading scorer Lyle Taylor, who had showed signs of
causing danger, was heavily involved in The Addicks equaliser ten minutes before
the break when some slick one-touch play with Anfernee Dijksteel and Joe Aribo
saw him cross for Ben Purrington to convert from close range for his first goal
for the club. It meant a pulsating
opening forty-five minutes ended all square.
Half Time Charlton
Athletic 1 Sunderland 1
So where would this final end up?? A winner for either side
or extra time and maybe the dreaded penalties perhaps?
Charlton replaced the embarrassed Sarr for the second half
by Jason Pearce, it had been an eventful half for the Charlton defender who had
also picked up a booking as well as the own goal, and this sparked a change in play
for Bowyer’s side, with Krystian Bielik moving into midfield.
Sunderland themselves hoped the introduction of influential
playmaker Aiden McGeady would inspire them to victory in the last twenty
minutes, but the winger struggled to raise a Black Cats side who could not
really create anything of note.
So with a second half that had no meaningful shots on
target, extra time looked nailed on. But
four minutes into stoppage time Charlton struck the winning blow when they
overloaded the back post in one final attempt to win the game in normal time
and saw Bauer scramble home a rebound after the defender’s initial attempt had
been blocked.
Cue absolute bedlam in the Charlton end as they celebrated
Bauer’s winner, his only goal in 39 appearances for The Addicks, so what a time
to grab that!!! At the other end, total despair
for the Black Cats who saw their season end in heartache, now seven Wembley
visits without a win since their famous 1973 FA Cup win over the mighty Leeds
United, meaning they will remain in League One next term.
For Charlton though the Championship beckons next season
after a dramatic end to this play-off final so well done to them, they did end
the season with ten wins from thirteen before that epic play-off semi-final
with Doncaster, so were most certainly the in-form side heading into the post
season shenanigans.
This was their first visit to Wembley for 21 years, which
resulted in a play-off win over Sunderland no less to reach the promised land
of the Premier League, but this will no doubt mean just as much to them after a
difficult period in their club’s history.
Full Time Charlton
Athletic 2 Sunderland 1
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