Joe Le Taxi

Charlton 1-2 ITFC December 26th 2012

One of the highlights of Christmas for me is football on Boxing Day and it's one tradition that I like to uphold. It was actually sunny when me and Paul set out for the one o'clock kick-off at the valley, all we seem to have had in the last few weeks is rain (we’d have plenty more of it later on). 

We had a good run and parked quite easily. There had been concerns about increased traffic following the London Underground staff's decision to go on strike, it forced Arsenal into postponing their game v West Ham at the Emirates Stadium. Walking towards the ground we saw Bilel Mohsni coming towards us (you couldn't miss him in his bright royal blue Ipswich track suit!) We stopped him for a word, Paul asked for directions to the ground before getting him to have a photo with us, what a star!

The game marked the start of the second half of the season with Charlton being the first reverse fixture, they won the corresponding match at Portman Road back in September.

The match itself was a tale of two halves, we were really up for it and looked hungrier than the previous two games. It was fairly even early on but Town had the chance to take the lead when we were awarded a penalty (our fifth in seven games) following a trip by Emmanuel Frimpong on Lee Martin after seventeen minutes. DJ Campbell blasted the spot kick miles wide of Ben Hamers right hand goalpost, what a let off for the hosts. If anything that miss made us more determined to make amends and sure enough it was Campbell who gave us the lead after thirty-three minutes after being set up by strike partner Daryl Murphy. Martin who was having a lively game had a shot parried by Hamers on the stroke of half time, fortunately the Murph was quick to react and netted the loose ball into the net.

A minutes applause for Charlton historian Colin Cameron

Very festive strips

Frimpong - not so #dench

Latic's manager Chris Powell made two changes at half time with Johnnie Jackson and Bradley Pritchard coming on for Frimpong (who had had a far from #dench first half) and Danny Green. The changes had a big impact and for large periods of the second half we were having to do lots of defending. Charlton were given a lifeline after penalty recipient Martin himself gave away a spot kick following a trip on Chris Solly after seventy-two minutes. Former Town striker Danny Haynes made no mistake with his attempt, blasting the ball into the right hand corner of Stephen Henderson's net. It was all very frantic after that but Town held on to gain a valuable away win.

After the game me and Paul got some chips near to the ground and as we stood there sheltering from the rain eating them we noticed Mohsni again! He was wandering around outside talking on his mobile phone, soon after a French taxi appeared and pulled up next to him, after talking to the driver for a bit he got in it and disappeared.

The playlist

Joe Le Taxi by Vanessa Paradis - I really enjoyed the day out and it was made even better by the amusing Mohsni moments, wandering around before and after the match. It's easy to see how he became a fans favourite.