Charlton left struggling after MK Dons drawCharlton edged closer to relegation from the Championship with a 0-0 home draw against MK Dons they realistically had to win.After a display worryingly lacking in intensity they remain 23rd of 24 teams with 10 fixtures to play, and seven points from the safety of 21st place, presently occupied by their visitorsA late, straight red card for substitute Yaya Sanogo worsened their plight, leaving them without a key player for their coming three games.Charlton are simply running out of time if for the second time in three seasons they are to unexpectedly survive relegation to League One.They had shown improvement of late, even amid inconsistency, but a defeat of their visitors would not only have meant taking points off another team also fighting to remain in the division, but given them a second successive win and a crucial sense of momentum.Throughout the first half, however, they strangely showed little hunger
For all of their composure in possession - and the same applied to MK Dons, though a draw for them was not a bad result - a lack of movement and creativity undermined them in the final third as play often resembled that seen in a pre-season friendly.Striker Simon Makienok displayed almost no desire to reach the ball when it arrived in the box, and looked even less capable of creating his own chances, and in their pursuit of a goal it surprised that in the 58th minute head coach Jose Riga sacrificed Callum Harriott, after his two at the weekend in the 2-1 win at Brentford.The on-loan Yaya Sanogo replaced him, and even more curiously the promising Ademola Lookman remained on the bench until the 82nd minute but, beyond a routine header from Jorge Teixeira which goalkeeper David Martin even more routinely saved, Charlton's threat on goal remained minimal.Shortly after Teixiera's effort, Dons' substitute Rob Hall tested Charlton's Nick Pope with a powerful shot the goalkeeper saved; his team-mates otherwise appeared content with harmless, long-range chances, always in the knowledge that their hosts desperately needed victory.In a 78th-minute chance which reflected much of Charlton's evening, substitute Zakarya Bergdich curled a dangerous left-wing cross low into the area and after it just eluded Sanogo, the sluggish Makienok failed to reach it at the back post when only minimal contact would likely have resulted in a goal.Bergdich and Lookman inspired pressure and promise after the latter's introduction, and Sanogo was needlessly sent off in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time for an off-the-ball elbow on Antony Kay
All the while Charlton could not secure the goal they needed as MK Dons - unlike their hosts - left satisfied with a draw
Source : PA
Source: PA