League One semi-final play-off second leg preview – Charlton v Swindon
If you can’t be good, be lucky.
Six weeks ago Charlton manager Phil Parkinson was on the lookout for a new shot-stopper after Rob Elliot was ruled out for the season. Darren Randolph, who at the time was a hundred per cent fit and raring to go, was by-passed as a replacement and deemed surplus to requirements at the Valley. That is until the Addicks board blocked Parkinson’s move for a new signing. His hand was forced and, with more luck than judgement, threw Randolph in at the deep end.
The Ireland under-21 international hasn’t looked back since.
Randolph has kept five clean sheets in nine games since coming into the team, including what could be a league one play-off winning performance in the 2-1 defeat by Swindon on Friday night in the first leg, where he was named Man of the Match. Charlton should have been dead and buried.
Parkinson has been delighted with his new No.1’s contribution ahead of Charlton's play-off semi-final second leg at the Valley tonight.
Parkinson told the club’s official website: “We wanted to be fair to Darren so I said that if someone comes in for him, we would have been happy to let him go.
“But credit to Darren, while waiting for a loan move to materialise, he was training exceptionally hard, preparing himself for the chance. When that chance came, he has taken it. That's what it's all about.”
Swindon manager Danny Wilson insists his side, who may have fit-again Billy Painter available, will approach the match in the same positive manner as they did the first.
“We're going there very positive, we're not just going there to sit on our hands and hopefully get a result,” Wilson told the club’s official website.
"We've been away from home this year and scored some very good goals to win games.
"We're going to have to do that again, I'm sure, when we go to Charlton, I don't think it will be 0-0.
"This game's up in the air completely at the moment, what we will be looking for is the same approach that we had on Friday night.
“We have got a slight advantage at the moment. It's not a great one, but it's better having that than being 2-1 down."
Charlton will need to improve their defensive game if they are to overturn the Robins, but that may not be enough. Swindon always score goals and if they can notch the opener the Addicks dreams of returning to the big-time may evaporate for another year. Randolph could be in for a busy night once again.
Prediction: Charlton 1 Swindon 2
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