IT IS 59 years since Charlton won the FA Cup for the only time and this week has encouraged manager Alan Curbishley even more that you do not have to be glamorous to succeed.
“After the fake sheikhs and bungs,” said Curbishley, “it was good to see Wigan reach the Carling final.” And who will win the FA Cup? “I was asked for my tip and I said it would be a Premiership team. We are a Premiership team.”
If Charlton were looking for a touch of fortune it arrived in stoppage time yesterday when a mistake by Orient goalkeeper Glynn Garner allowed Jay Bothroyd to snatch the winner. Fortune in the manner of the goal, that is, because the Premiership team just about deserved their win.
Orient, fourth in League Two and conquerors of Fulham in the previous round, had fought back in the second half to level at 1-1.
But ultimately, Curbishley’s triple substitution in the 63rd minute proved decisive. Alexei Smertin provided some outstanding touches, Jerome Thomas changed the tempo of the game and Bothroyd struck the winner. Orient had chances to win after Charlton had taken the lead through a John Fortune header on seven minutes, but when Curbishley’s side made three changes, the gulf of 61 places in the League between these two clubs was shown.
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Orient had levelled eight minutes after the restart when Joe Keith found Lee Steele, whose low shot from 12 yards slipped under goalkeeper Thomas Myhre.
Daryl McMahon wasted a great chance with a header which he nodded straight at Myhre, and it was his opposite number who was left waving his arms about in despair when Bothroyd’s free kick took a slight deflection before going in via the keeper’s legs.
STAR MAN: Jerome Thomas (Charlton)
Player ratings. Charlton: Myhre 5, Young 7, Fortune 7, Hreidarsson 7, Powell 7, Ambrose 6, Kishishev 5 (Thomas 63min, 8), Holland 7, Hughes 6 (Smertin 63min, 6), Bartlett 5 (Bothroyd 63min, 7), Bent 6
Leyton Orient: Garner 5, Miller 6, Zakuani 6, Mackie 6, Lockwood 6, Tudor 6, Simpson 7, McMahon 6, Keith 7, Alexander 6, Steele 7 (Duncan 86, 6)
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Scorers: Charlton: Fortune 7, Bothroyd 90
Leyton Orient: Steele 53
Referee: A Wiley
Attendance: 22,029