As expected Steve McClaren named the same team that won at Sunderland last Tuesday, but there was no place for Alen Boksic or Mark Schwarzer on the bench.
There was an immaculate minutes silence prior to the game, in memory of young Finlay Cooper who tragically died last week, it was followed by a tremendous rendition of "There’s only one Colin Cooper" from the North Stand, which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
In a poor first half there was little to get excited about with neither keeper being called on to make a serious save until the dying seconds of the half. Franck Queudrue fired in a wicked free-kick which Dean Kiely managed to tip over the bar for a corner.
Earlier both sides had produced little in the way of goal mouth action. The free-kick apart I would be surprised if the Sky team, of Richard Keys and Gordon McQueen, could find something to talk about at half time.
The second half wasn’t much better, neither side could take control in the middle where it mattered, although Charlton showed the better movement off the ball, they couldn’t turn it into chances as the Boro defence coped well.
Boro came back late on, Gareth Southgate being unlucky not to connect with a deep cross from the left, as a defender just nicked the ball away in front of him. Then, in the final minute Noel ‘the goal’ Whelan headed straight at the keeper, when he could have made glory for himself yet again.
All in all a fair result, no side deserved to win, although Boro will be disappointed to finish the week as it had started, on a winning note. Lets hope Leeds are as generous next week, as they were against Liverpool today, somehow I think it may be a hard game.