WATFORD Reserves were meant to be like the team who plays against the Harlem Globetrotters at The Valley last night - just there to provide token opposition and put the ball back into play with Charlton needing just one point to secure the Barclays Premiership Reserve League (South) championship for a second successive season.
Charlton got that point with a 1-1 draw during which both goals were scored via the penalty spot - but Nigel Gibbs' Hornets turned in a decent, hard-working performance and weren't fussed by the occasion in the slightest. Perhaps the presence of influential club skipper Sean Dyche - returning to action after three months with a groin tendon tear had something do with that.
Dyche, who came off at half-time as planned, looked bright but is still some way from full fitness as he bids for a first-team appearance before the season's end.
The game's first quarter passed without a semblance of a chance for either side but Charlton were generously awarded a penalty on 28 minutes. Kevin Lisbie's driving run ended with a firm shot that Watford keeper Reece Kirk could only get a hand to. Lisbie followed up and collided with Junior Osborne who subsequently fell on the ball and ended up accidentally handling it. Jason Euell confidently clipped home the spot-kick.
The Hornets were back on level terms eight minutes before the break when Jason Norville's quick turn was too good for Mark Ricketts who went in with a sliding tackle that looked a dangerous choice in the situation.
Having been felled, Norville stepped up himself to notch his third goal in as many Reserve League games.
Just after the hour mark, Andy Ferrell's left-wing cross was pinged into the danger area and Norville will have been disappointed not to have got more than a harmless glancing blow at the near post.
On 75 minutes, Kirk pushed away Stacy Long's effort but chances were few and far between all evening.
The Hornets provided one last scare for the Addicks five minutes from time when Toumani Diagouraga slid in Omari Coleman who had, for once, espcaped the clutches of Ricketts and Lawrie Wilson. But the latter's low shot was comfortably gathered by the keeper and the title was Charlton's.
Teams:
Watford: Kirk, Osborne, Mawer, Bangura, Mariappa, Dyche (Chapman HT), Gilligan (Grant 28), Coleman, Norville, Diagouraga, Ferrell.
Subs not used: Hoad (GK), Frost, Homand.
Charlton: Andersen, Fuller, Gross, Hughes, Wilson, Ricketts, John, Long, Lisbie, Euell, Weston (Ashton 56).
Subs not used: Randolph, Phillips, Walker, Cottrell.
[b]Att:[/b] 1,718.