Krige denied a policy of illegal attrition, and said the result would be different in Perth It was like a gangland designation of a battle site. Straeuli claimed that television evidence showed that Lasuschagne was in the process of withdrawing from the match-changing collision when he saw that Wilkinson had parted with the ball. And the day wasn’t even over yet – Dad was going to buy chips.Statistically speaking this was all about a Charlton team registering their first successive victory of the year following last weekend’s 1-0 win at Manchester City. “Jason Euell,” said one, “what a goal!”

Two young lads in Charlton colours made their way down the stairs to the exit after this game, their eyes bright with excitement.

“Jason Euell,” said one, “what a goal!”
“That was winning in style”, the other replied. “We weren’t back to cover them when they attacked.”As Blackburn began their own celebrations, their manager Graeme Souness leapt out of his seat in satisfaction. But his joy was short lived as Charlton swiftly regained their momentum.Kevin Lisbie was just short of restoring their lead in the 63rd minute as he skied the ball over at the far post following a telling cross from the left by Euell. Eleven minutes later Charlton had the real thing as a corner from Konchesky was headed powerfully past the Blackburn keeper by Charlton’s captain and centre-half, Richard Rufus.The home side’s joy was unconfined; and Souness was not a happy bunny “The decisions went against us today”, he said.

Keane was one of the players Venables had to sell to placate the bankers, the other being Rio Ferdinand. “We should have had a penalty in the first half, and there should have been an off-side before they got the corner from which they scored their second goal.”There’s no secret to the way Charlton play. Sheringham is a long-time Venables disciple and his movement and passing underlined how well he absorbed his former coach’s tuition.Steffen Freund and Goran Bunjevcevic also impressed for a Tottenham side grateful to be back at White Hart Lane after defeats at Burnley, Sunderland and Arsenal. They moved up to seventh, back in range of the European place they crave. Leeds, whose Uefa Cup run is the only mitigating feature of their season, languish four points off the relegation zone and have little prospect of qualifying again.That would result in more player sales, further undermining the positions of Venables and his equally beleaguered chairman. Venables would not be drawn on whether he had been fully apprised of the financial crisis at Elland Road before taking the job but did admit dealing with it had been “tough”.Ridsdale, who is the architect of this malaise, yesterday appeared to be passing the buck ahead of Friday’s meeting when he said results had been “unacceptable”.Venables responded: “No one has accepted them but they are there and they have to be dealt with We should be doing better I don’t worry about it but I am concerned I feel a little low.

A few injuries are not a problem as you can bring players into a settled side but it is hard when you have five or six coming in. Venables added: “I had to sell players but felt, if everyone was fit, we were still in good condition But we have 11 players injured. The game is wonderful when you’re winning, awful when you’re not.”Leeds have now won once in nine Premiership games during which they have earned five points from 27. This proved an error though it did not help when Nick Barmby suffered ankle damage in the warm-up. Then the crowd gets on their back and it becomes a confidence thing.”Venables attempted to compensate for his players’ dwindling belief with a defensive formation featuring Eirik Bakke as sweeper. He could certainly not have been worse than his bemused replacement, Jacob Burns.Bakke was similarly uncomfortable and Keane set the tone by skinning him in the fifth minute. Barmby has under-performed at Leeds but he may, like Keane, have raised his game against a former club.