Sport

Charlton miss a promotion chance

Charlton have to wait a few more days for promotion to the English Premiership after a Clyde Wijnhard first half goal brought…

Sat Apr 15 2000 - 01:00

Charlton have to wait a few more days for promotion to the English Premiership after a Clyde Wijnhard first half goal brought Huddersfield a 1-0 win at the Valley last night. Dutch striker Wijnhard volleyed home in the 25th-minute to deny Alan Curbishley's side the victory they needed to guarantee promotion to the top flight.

The win also kept Huddersfield's own play-off hopes alive.

Charlton, who wasted a string of chances, can still secure promotion this weekend but only if chasing Ipswich and Barnsley lose.

The Londoners' leading scorer Andy Hunt should have opened the scoring on five minutes when he raced clear on goal but could only blast into the side netting.

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John Robinson then volleyed inches wide of goal before Mathias Svensson's close-range effort was well blocked by Huddersfield goalkeeper Nico Vaesen.

Charlton continued to press and Mark Kinsella then saw a shot from distance whistle inches over the crossbar.

But Huddersfield began to settle in midfield and Chris Beech almost broke the deadlock on 20 minutes but he dragged his shot wide of goal.

Five minutes later Wijnhard struck for the visitors when he was left unmarked at the far post to volley home Scott Sellars' cross.

Charlton pressed furiously for an equaliser and on 68 minutes Huddersfield survived when Ken Monkou headed a Robinson cross against his own crossbar and the ball fell into the arms of Vaesen.

Huddersfield boss Steve Bruce saluted his side's battling qualities.

"It's a massive win for us. No one expected us to do anything down here," Bruce told Sky Sports.

"It was backs-to-the-walls stuff from my defenders and goalkeeper, and all credit to them. At times it was Alamo stuff, and we've had the bounce of the ball at the right times - but they're a resilient bunch."

Bruce said he was delighted that Wijnhard had put a barren spell behind him.

Asked if Charlton were looking jittery after a 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest last weekend and this home defeat against the Terriers, manager Curbishley replied: "We're not jittery. With a 14-point gap, we're not jittery."

CHARLTON: Kiely, Barness, Rufus, Brown, Powell, Newton, Stuart, Kinsella, Robinson, Hunt, Svensson. Subs: Tiler, Parker, Konchesky, Royce, MacDonald.

HUDDERSFIELD: Vaesen, C Armstrong, Monkou, Lucketti, Jenkins, Sellars, Beech, Holland, Vincent, Wijnhard, Hay. Subs: Gray, Irons, Margetson, Facey, Baldry.

Referee: M Jones (Chester).