That was an unexpected 3 points.

And Stoke 4 - 0 Barcodes.

Reading held on to beat Barnsley - up to 7th now, 3 points from the play-offs with a game in hand

Orient unbeaten run has come to an end

Car Expert

Aww. You're still sitting pretty in 7th though.

Now we've got to win both of our games in hand and hope Posh beat the MK Dons on Monday night...

Car Expert

Darlo are going to Wembley.

Well done

So it'll be Darlington v Mansfield in the Trophy final - two teams recently relegated from the Football League.

Car Expert

Told you

And we made it easy for them. And the powers that be have the audacity to say that we're getting on the player's backs. Too right we are : they're playing as though they don't care.

Pathetic.

Were you at the match?

Your team seem to have decided it's time for the summer holidays already. They've given up trying to get into the play-offs and haven't dropped far enough to start worrying about the other end of the table. You're in a comfortable place position wise, but you're now the same number of points above the drop as we are (and I don't think we're safe yet). Maybe they'll wake up after the international break.

I wasn't : I was conducting a playday at Pimlico for the SRP (Society of Recorder Players).

But I have read various Charlton forums. It's the same old thing, and 48 points is not going to be enough : we are by no means comfortable

Well, your next couple of matches are tough but perhaps that will make the team wake up and play better. They maybes underestimated the daggers, thought it would be an easy game and then didn't know what to do when it wasn't...

I don't think it's that, Flossie. At the moment, we go into every match expecting to lose. And lo, that's what happens...

I'd thought you were pleased with your new manager? Are people turning against him?

I think you should be twinned with a certain N.E. town. The teams seem to have a lot in common.

Charlton's run-in looks very tough...

Car Expert

I was. And I don't think he's the problem. The players have got themselves into a losing rut, and no manager at the moment would be able to stop it. It's up to the players themselves, and at the moment many of the players have neither the stomach for a fight, or the heart to care.

Chris Powell needs to change things drastically in the close season, we have big problems. And it's quite possible that we'll have to do it from League 2. Yes, it's that bad.

Just like Reading in their first season back in the Championship. We got to Janaury, and we had forgotten how to win at home, and that derailed our promotion bid...

Car Expert

So the MK Dons have beaten Posh 1-0. Could've done with a draw or a Posh win really...

Car Expert

Makes little difference to Charlton now...

Tomorrow, we're going to lose to Southampton. Then, we're going to lose to Bournemouth. Once again, you read it here first...

You're wrong

Orient snatched a late equalising penalty to draw with Dag & Red...

Car Expert

It was still a very turgid performance, and we were very lucky to get anything from the game

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12890755

It seems a fitting tribute to one of the great men of our county.

I wonder when I'll get to travel on it, and if I'll even notice when I do.

After the latest shambles on Tuesday night (a fairly abject surrender at Rochdale), Orient are the next visitors to the Valley tomorrow.

Can you see Charlton getting anything out of that match?

Nope.

And 50 points isn't enough : I think we're going to need 53 or 54 to avoid relegation.

How many points do you want, Nicki?

*worries that the Boro's goal difference is going to head the same way it did with the Reading match*

1-0 in Nicki's favour already...

edit : 1-1

further edit : Orient already 1-0 up. With Charlton barely able to recognise what a football is at the moment, that I'd say is game over already

3-3. That's a good point for us against one of our bogey teams. I fully expected Nicki to get 3 points.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a team get so many yellow cards in one match. (and it wasn't Boro...).

Preston have now overtaken Scunthorpe, who were thumped 6-0...

Charlton now above the Monkey Hangers, which is good for Barry and not so good for CE who dropped points.

Edit: Just noticed that Reading are in the playoffs, CE. Was too busy looking at the other end of the table before...

Looking at the table, I think one more win and Boro will be safe. The bottom three are now getting cast adrift.



How on earth did that happen? Orient must have had a major off day

Well I come back from holiday to find that Orient were thrashed at home by Yeovil, then lost to Charlton yesterday. Now I've returned, maybe they'll start winning again...

Nice to see Reading back in the play-off places

Crewe 8-1 Cheltenham was quite a result...

Car Expert

Jinky scored today for Man City, who beat Sunderland 5-0.

Does that make you almost as happy as seeing Boro win?

Still think one more win, and Boro will be safely in the Championship again for next season

I'd rather we won.

Preston seem to have hit a winning streak.

Blades away next week, which is a massive match for us. If we can win there then we will be close to beeing safe. If we lose then we are in trouble, especially as Sheffield have some winable games coming up (Preston and a derby against Barnsley). Coventry on Easter Monday is another big match. Our final match against Donny could still be a relegation decider between us as they aren't safe yet either.

If QPR beat Sheffield United tomorrow, it'll be a less big match. Preston will need to keep their form going to avoid going down, and Scunthorpe look doomed. Palace and Doncaster, both with lousy goal differences, look more vulnerable than Boro.

We'll see. I will be happier when we are mathematically safe, because until then anything could happen.

Anything could, but a Boro relegation seems unlikely...

I wish I had your confidence in my time. And you probably wish that you had my confidence about your team (who I'm sure will be comfortably upper-mid-table...).

The Orient result was a helpful one. I still don't think we're in good shape, but we should finish about 10th-13th...

Leyton Orient and Reading both won tonight! Orient are 3 points from the play-offs. Reading have a 3-point cushion in the play-offs going into Saturday's match against Nott'm Forest.

Car Expert

Tottenham now require a Boro-esque European comeback.

A Gareth Bale double hat-trick... that's all they need

Car Expert

5 goals would be enough though provided Real don't score anymore.

Normal Charlton service resumed

Oh dear Tranmere are now in relegation danger again, having recovered a bit a month ago.

Glad I missed that debacle. Caught the final result as we repaired to the local bar after wind band... and wish I hadn't looked up at the telly.

Are you a Spurs fan, katica?

Reading beat Forest 4-3, and are up to 4th

Boro crucially beat Sheff Utd - they look safe now...

Car Expert

We won with a 89th minute goal. The sort of goal we would concede under our previous manager...

In the bottom v top clash it ended Scunthorpe 4-1 QPR. Not sure where that result came from.

Crawley have won the Blue Square premiership, and gained automatic promotion to the football league. Histon have been relegated from the same division.

The bottom of the Premier League is still incredibly tight...

And Derby County remain woefully inadequate.

Great win by Tranmere ay Bournemouth ! Bournemouth equalised in first minute of 'over' time , an Tranmere won it in 4th minute of overtime !

Reading won again last night

Car Expert

Reading are the form team of the moment, CE!

We've probably got the best run-in out of all the teams fighting for automatic promotion, so things are looking good...

Car Expert

We're not safe yet, and we can't afford to keep throwing points away.