Football: Charlton shown up by Luton

Luton Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Charlton Athletic. . . . . . . . . . .0

THE REAWAKENING of Charlton Athletic last month has suddenly turned to slight alarm with two defeats in the first week of November. For Luton, though, after a hard-working performance yesterday, it may have dawned on them that a small blanket would cover the difference in quality betweeen the First Division's near-top and near- bottom clubs.

A well-taken first-half goal by Paul Telfer was adequately defended by a Luton defence organised by Trevor Peake. It raised them five places further up the League and as Charlton's Alan Curbishley said: 'We just didn't do enough to break them down.'

October has seen Charlton do virtually nothing wrong, winning four and drawing one of their League matches, leaving Endsleigh to rename its award 'Managers of the Month' to accommodate Curbishley and Steve Gritt, partners in Charlton's revival. November had begun less auspiciously with a home defeat by Derby County.

In spite of their achievements, Charlton tend to be disadvantaged by untidy finishing, a fault that yesterday cost them the chance of turning a lot of early promising building work to advantage. The result was that Luton's scuffling in midfield brought a 23rd-minute goal.

A sensible decision by the referee to wave on play when Marvin Johnson was held back allowed the Luton defender to continue into the Charlton penalty area before pulling the ball across goal for Telfer to head in and for Charlton to rue the fact that earlier Garry Nelson had struck a Luton post.

Luton Town (4-4-2): Sommer; Linton, Peake, Dreyer, Johnson; Telfer, Hughes, Harper, Oakes (Williams, 40); Dixon, Aunger (Dickov, 71). Substitute not used: Petterson (gk).

Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Salmon; Balmer, McLeary, Chapple, Minto; Newton, (Bailey, 56) Pitcher, Robinson (Grant, 80), Walsh; Leaburn, Nelson. Substitute not used: Vaughan (gk).

Referee: M Bailey (Impington).