Charlton 4 - 1 Coventry City

With nothing for us to play for and the Sky Blues still trying to fight off the threat of relegation, I honestly thought this one would go very differently. Refreshingly however, you would have thought it was the men in red who needed the points with a competent and encouraging ninety minutes.

There were more at the Valley than I was expecting and those who had made the trip were rewarded with the display that Pardew had promised. The line up was partially dictated by injury but some things were telling. Does Thatcher's absence mean he is not in Pardew's thoughts for next season? Does Halford's continued presence mean he will be here next season (I would be happy if that were to be the case)? And another start for Jonjo Shelvey (admittedly in a dead rubber) suggests he may have some part to play in next season. I also hope that Sodje's inclusion as a substitute is an indication that we will try and retain him.

Whatever the thoughts behind the team he put it out, it seemed to work with the Addickted being rewarded within five minutes as Kasper Schmeichel rushed out for Bougherra's speculative pass, only to be neatly lobbed by Luke Varney. Quarter of an hour later, Varney teamed up excellently with Andy Gray to add a very decent second. Michael Mifsud's goal a minute later could have been the catalyst for another Charlton capitulation but 2-1 it remained at half time.

Into the secound half and any thoughts of a Coventry come back were all but extinguished when Grant Basey drove low and hard from inside the box, the ball hitting the back of the net courtesy of a rather large deflection. Charlton could have had another two or three over the course of the half, with Luke Varney twice shooting wide and Holland hitting the bar from a wonder strike that surely would have won him goal of the season had it gone in.

As it was, the fourth goal was worth waiting for ... minutes after having taken to the field to the standing ovation he so richly deserved, Chris Powell found himself in the opposition box with the ball at his feet. He made no mistake and I can't remember the last time I celebrated a goal so enthusiastically. Lifted up onto the shoulders of his team mates, he deserved that goal more than anybody and, given the circumstances, it was the perfect way to end the season.

I was encouraged by what I saw yesterday. Varney and Gray seemed to operate well together up front, Shelvey looked like a real prospect, McCarthy had an excellent game (a consideration for captain next season?) and there seemed to be a bit of fight and desire. Of course it is easy to get carried away, and as Pardew himself pointed out it was a result achieved without any pressure. However, there are signs that things could be OK next season and the position Coventry found themselves in yesterday is a timely reminder that things could be a lot worse.