Charlton Athletic 1, Scunthorpe United 1: Adkins provides Charlton with stiff test of promotion resolve

With Scunthorpe – team and town – having provided a home for Ian Botham, Graham Taylor and the novel behind the film Get Carter, United's muscular approach on Saturday was true to a tradition.

It is 43 years since Scunthorpe last rose to English football's second tier and seven years since Charlton sunk so low. Initially, this heritage told. As Scunthorpe blasted toward the boundaries, their current vice-president, Botham, might have been tempted to reprise his time in the 1980s as an occasional United forward.

Charlton's goal came when their new right-back, Yassin Moutaouakil, sent in a sweet cross in the 62nd minute. Jim Goodwin headed clear but only as far as Marcus Bent, who scored.

However, Scunthorpe were soon back in the game. Negligent marking from Bent allowed a corner to reach the centre-back Izzy Iriekpen. The debutant thumped his header in.

With Charlton pre-match promotion favourites and Scunthorpe odds on for relegation, this was not scripted. In the close season both teams lost their top scorers – Charlton's Darren Bent heading to Tottenham, Scunthorpe's Billy Sharp going back to Sheffield United. Better finishers could have made more of the numerous chances. For Charlton, Lloyd Sam and Andy Reid were menacing. Reid hit the bar and later shot wide after a 20-yard run.

With seven Charlton players making competitive debuts, the manager, Alan Pardew, was sanguine: "The performance level was OK. We created enough chances to win."

Scunthorpe could be this season's Colchester and their manager, Nigel Adkins, a new Paul Jewell.

"That was a defensive away performance," he said. "But at home we play some nice football. It'll be an unbelievable achievement if we can stay in the Championship, but we can do it.

"We couldn't lose today and it's the last game Charlton would want," he added. "But they're still, for me, the champions-elect – them or West Brom."

Goals: Bent (62) 1-0; Iriekpen (69) 1-1.

Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Weaver; Moutaouakil, Bougherra, McCarthy, Thatcher; Sam, Semedo, Ambrose, Reid; Bent (Iwelumo, 74), Todorov (McLeod, 66). Substitutes not used: Randolph (gk), Fortune, Sinclair.

Scunthorpe United (4-4-2): Murphy; Byrne, Iriekpen, Crosby, Williams; Taylor, Baraclough, Goodwin, Hurst; Forte (Paterson, 72), Hayes (Sparrow, 79). Substitutes not used: Lillis (gk), Mulligan, Butler.

Referee: T Kettle (Berkshire).

Booked: Charlton Iwelumo. Scunthorpe Hurst.

Man of the match: Reid.

Attendance: 23,151.

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