Just a couple of seasons ago, this Second Round clash between Charlton Athletic and Luton Town was a Championship fixture. The Addicks were even a Premiership club at one stage, although you’d be forgiven for forgetting that small fact considering their plight from grace, but Luton’s decline has been even more emphatic, with their financial wreck causing the club to slide down the pecking order before finally finding some stable ground in the Conference. So, I suppose you could say this is a match between the Has-been’s?
Both sides failed in their objective to gain promotion from their respective divisions last season, so we’re getting a League One versus Conference National clash at The Valley. However, the pair of them are well on course to complete their targets this season, so the fans inside the Valley should be treated to an entertaining affair between two sides full of confidence and in good knick.
The hosts are unbeaten in their previous six League One encounters, with only a frustrating 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers at home last Saturday blemishing what would otherwise be an immaculate run of league form heading into Saturday’s encounter with a Luton side who struggled to see off small-timers Corby. However, The Hatters also arrive in scintillating form, having won their last three competitive fixtures all in a comprehensive manner; seeing to Corby Town in their First Round reply 4-2 at Kenilworth Road, ousting Altrincham 1-0 on the road earlier in the month while last Saturday they thumped Histon 5-1.
Just as Luton were unconvincing first time out against Corby in the previous round, needing an emphatic 4-2 victory at home in the replay to seal their place in the next round, Charlton were just as disappointing. Barnet have been the whipping boys in League Two this season, yet Charlton could only conjure one goal over two matches, cementing their spot in the Second Round via a nervy 1-0 win at home. But this is the FA Cup and Charlton manager Phil Parkinson will be well aware that it doesn’t matter how you win this early encounters, as no-one remembers the results so long as you’re not the ones on the receiving end of a shocker, just so long as you get yourself in the draw for the next round.
So it’s job done so far for both parties, but they’ll both know Saturday’s encounter will require vast amounts of improvements in their respective games if they’re to be the ones celebrating progression into the third round, the stage where the competition really does begin to heat up and get exciting. And with the form both sides are enjoying, with Charlton unstoppable in League One at present and scored goals for fun, racking up seventeen in their last six league matches, while Luton have lost just one of their previous five away matches in the Conference, albeit against lesser opposition.
With the confidence both sides are in, with neither having problems scoring this season, Both Teams Scoring should be a formality. The trick to scoring is self-belief, and the pair have an abundance of this very quality heading into Saturday’s encounter. The Addicks have scored in all but one of their opening nine home matches in League One, with only league leaders Brighton shutting out second-placed Charlton at The Valley, while Luton have been equally impressive on the road in the Conference, scoring in eight of their eleven away encounters and boast the most prolific scoring record in the entire division.
Dare we say it, but we could be in for a cracker here in a contest between two sides who won’t hold back in the slightest in their quests to reach the Third Round, although we wouldn’t discourage anyone from having a flirt with Luton’s HUGE odds. For Charlton, the thought of playing a Premier League side won’t carry as much excitement or novelty as it would for Luton, who are eager to bring the good times back to the club and their loyal supporters.
Matt’s Selection(s):
Both Teams to Score – 1.80 totesport
Over 2.5 Goals – 1.63 Bet365
Luton Town to WIN – 7.00 Bet365
Match Odds:
Charlton Athletic – 1.53 SkyBet
Draw – 4.20 WilliamHill
Luton Town – 7.00 Bet365
