The Valley was rocking yesterday as Charlton kicked off the new Championship season with a bang – and by “bang” I mean Harvey Knibbs’ 94th-minute winner that had 21,778 Addicks bouncing.

Watford came to SE7 with more of the ball, more patience, and more yellow shirts than I ever want to see again. But it was Charlton who had more heart, more edge, and crucially… more shots on target.

The Line-Up

The Stats Tell the Story

Watford knocked it around nicely, but all that possession just meant our lads could rest up between bursts of pressing. When we did have the ball, we made it count.

Player-by-Player Nuggets

Lloyd Jones – The Surprise Striker

When your centre-back is the team’s top shooter, you know it’s been a spicy afternoon. Jones had 3 shots (2 on target!) and was a constant threat from set pieces.
Rating: Brick wall at the back, battering ram up top.

Rob Apter – Right Wing Rocket

Making his debut, Apter was everywhere. Bagged 3 tackles (joint-most for us) and gave Watford’s left-back a nightmare afternoon.
Rating: Pace, power, personality – get used to seeing him start.

Josh Edwards – Foul Magnet

Four fouls drawn. FOUR. If the ref had a loyalty card for free kicks won, Josh would’ve earned us a free pizza by halftime.
Rating: Plays like a man with Velcro boots.

Harvey Knibbs – The Hero

On for just 14 minutes, Knibbs touched the ball a handful of times… but one of those was a cool finish deep into stoppage time. SE7 went wild.
Rating: Short cameo, long memory.

Watford’s Afternoon

They had the ball. They kicked us (16 fouls). They tackled less (only 10 tackles in total). Only Imrân Louza got a shot on target. Oh, and striker Luca Kjerrumgaard… committed 5 fouls. Not exactly clinical.

Final Whistle Thoughts

Charlton might not have bossed the ball, but we bossed the moments that mattered. Knibbs’ late goal was the cherry on a gritty, passionate display. The Valley felt alive, the new signings looked sharp, and there’s already a sense that this season could be something special.

Up next: Keep this energy rolling – and maybe let’s not wait until injury time for the drama. But where’s the fun in that?