Scunthorpe at home. What was the score? Drew 1-1 I actually felt very upbeat after Saturday’s game. At times our football was very enjoyable to watch but then at other times it looked as if it was strangers getting to know each other, which had to be expected as did Scunny’s hard work, time-wasting tactics and strength at set-pieces. Lessons I am sure would have been learned.

Some of our play was of a very good quality, especially by Championship standards. I loved Moo2kil and I think Semedo showed a lot of promise for his first competitive match in England. Lloyd Sam was lively in the first half and Reid drove the game forward from a free role, although I feel he needs to do that from the middle of the park and not out wide. His tendency or was it his instructions to roam and come inside stifled our offensive options on the left, particularly with Thatcher having a real aversion to crossing the halfway line. Ambrose cannot take a game by the scruff of the neck like Reid can, and it will be interesting to see how Pards uses him, Reid, Semedo, ZZ, Thomas, Sam and Racon.

Weaver was comfortable and got a good reception from the Covered End and Bent played his most rousing game for a very long time in a Charlton shirt, even if he still has a lot to do to endear him to Addicks’ fans.

Todorov showed some nice skill but doesn’t look fit and Iwelumo was a handful when he came on. I think the jury’s out on McCarthy and Bougherra looks more of a midfielder in the Huddlestone roll than a centre-half and I think a new centre-half is a necessity as we look like we can be bullied by big sides and we’ll face a lot of them this season.

I enjoyed the game though and I thought the crowd was patient, which is good. Unlike Sheffield United fans who booed their side at half-time and again at full time.

All in all it was a tough initiation to the division. The refereeing was awful. The linesman flagging for offside at the goal and then confirming to the referee that it was not, was comical. Mr T Kettle (presumably from Typhoo, Norfolk) let a lot go in the first hour, which I anticipated - no rolling around here like you’ve been shot - but then late on he blew for everything. Very inconsistent

Scunny at times were very poor, but at other times dangerous if allowed to play to their strengths and their time-wasting was scandalous. Their fans, who came on mass, cheered a throw-in like they had scored and their goal like it was the winner of the FA Cup final. But again, something we need to get used too.

All in all though I feel good about our chances particularly if we can wipe away the memories of almost 2 years of cronic away form in the next week.

Who else was there: New York Addick; Roehampton Addick; Many Miles; All Quiet; Addick's Championship Diary.
Reports: cafc.co.uk; Telegraph; Guardian; The Times.
  ¶ 18:39