Charlton Athletic 2-1 Leicester City

Kermorgant returns to haunt Foxes

Leicester fans watched on in disbelief as Yann Kermorgant helped Charlton to their first Championship win since May 2009. Bradley Wright-Phillips and the Frenchman bagged two first-half goals for the Addicks, putting them well on their way to an enthralling victory over Chris Powell's former side at The Valley. Leicester could only pull one back in a nail-biting second period, through substitute Andy King, despite having many opportunities to grab a second half equaliser.

With Michael Morrison, Kermorgant and Chris Powell having all played for the East Midlands club, and Leicester full-back Paul Konchesky once being an Addick, the game had plenty of background. However it was forward Kermorgant, the one that chipped it, that grabbed the winner for Charlton.

Both sides named unchanged starting line-ups from the weekend, Leicester having beaten Peterborough comfortably, and Charlton having drawn with promotion front-runners Birmingham City.

The game began in the same way that it ended, with every fan in the ground on the edge of their seat. Leicester had the first real chance of the game, former Fleetwood striker Jamie Vardy managed to get past Leon Cort inside the penalty area, but his close-range effort from the left was closed down by Morrison, however Danny Drinkwater was the first to the blocked effort and fired a shot in at goal, only for that man Morrison to be there again.

Soon after, the Foxes were at it again. Lloyd Dyer found an opening in the Charlton defence, but fired his shot embarrassingly far wide. Hamer was called on upon moments later, as he rushed out to gather a Drinkwater pass that had Vardy chasing.

The next chance came to the Addicks, however, and having steadied themselves after all the early Leicester pressure, managed to get the first goal of the game. Bradley Pritchard played Wright-Phillips through on the edge of the area, and the centre-forward drilled home a fantastic finish into the bottom left corner of Schmeichel's goal. The first Valley goal of the season was celebrated jubilantly by fans and players alike.

A matter of fourteen minutes later, Charlton grabbed their second. A cross from the left was dispatched effortlessly on the half-volley by Kermorgant from the edge of the area, and he celebrated the goal in the obligatory fashion, raising a finger to his lips to silence the jeers from the Foxes fans.

Just before the break, Paul Konchesky tore down the left in typical fashion and drilled a low cross-cum shot across the face of goal, which somehow evaded everyone in the penalty area, including an onrushing Vardy.

At the break, new signing Ricardo Fuller was unveiled in front of the home support, which seemed to delight the majority of fans around the ground.

Nigel Pearson clearly wasn't happy with his team's first-half performance, and made two changes at the break, with Beckford being replaced by one-time England international David Nugent, and Andy King replacing former Manchester United midfielder Matty James.

Not long after the restart a foul on Kermorgant gave Charlton a free-kick, and captain Johnnie Jackson was unfortunate to see his effort well saved and held on to by Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester finally managed to grab a goal back after fifty-four minutes, through Andy King, who tucked away former Sheffield Wednesday loanee Marshall's pull-back.

Ten minutes later and Leicester made their third and final change, academy graduate Anthony Knockaert coming on in place of Marshall. Knockaert instantly made a difference, playing in the 'number ten role', and Charlton looked like they were struggling to cope. He was constantly picking the ball up between the Addicks' defence and midfield, and saw one good effort saved well by Hamer.

Four minutes later, Dale Stephens was replaced by Lawrie Wilson, who played in a right-midfield position, protecting Chris Solly and allowing Bradley Pritchard to switch into a central midfield role. This did little though to address the Knockaert situation, who managed to weave his way into the box before playing the ball to Lloyd Dyer, whose well struck effort was saved fantastically by Ben Hamer.

The Addicks then made two changes before the ninety minutes were up, Salim Kerkar replacing the tiring skipper Johnnie Jackson, and goalscorer Wright-Phillips making way for young forward Jordan Cook.

Leicester kept piling on the pressure right up until the fourth and final minute of added time, when it climaxed in a corner for the Foxes. Charlton fans were incensed as Michael Morrison was told to leave the field of play for what looked like a facial injury, leaving the Addicks with only ten men on the field for a pivotal moment. Even Schmeichel was in the penalty area this time, but City failed to capitalise, firing over the bar for a Charlton goal-kick. Much to the relief of every fan in the red end of the stadium, that proved to be the final action.

Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Wiggins, Morrison, Cort; Pritchard, Hollands, Stephens (Wilson 81), Jackson (Kerkar 87); Kermorgant, Wright-Phillips (Cook 90).

Subs (not used): Sullivan, Taylor, Green, Smith. Goals: Wright-Phillips 18, Kermorgant 32
Leicester: Schmeichel; De Laet, Konchesky, Morgan, Moore; Marshall (Knockaert 64), Drinkwater, James (King 46), Dyer; Beckford (Nugent 46), Vardy. 
Subs (not used): Logan, Knockaert, Danns, Waghorn, Schlupp. Goals: King 54
Ref: F Graham
Att: 16,658 (1,628 Leicester)
 Quote from the gaffer: "This will really have given them food for thought now about what it is like to be in this league, but there won't be too many teams who are going to be better than Birmingham and Leicester City, that's for sure."

From the opposition: "There will be days when we create less chances and win. But you have to give Charlton credit. Chris will be happy with a hard-fought victory- but I expect to get something out of a game like that.