By Paul Green at The Valley
MATTY Godden admits he won’t forget Thursday night’s Valley atmosphere in a hurry after his late winner against Wycombe Wanderers sent Charlton Athletic into the League One play-off final.
Godden scored the only goal of the two-legged semi-final nine minutes from time to set up a London derby date with Leyton Orient at Wembley.
Fans celebrated on the pitch and in the stands at the final whistle as the Addicks edged closer to a Championship return for the first time in five years and the match-winner was still on a high afterwards.
Godden said: “It feels amazing. I don’t really know how to sum it up.
“It was a bit of an outer-body experience when the goal went in, it was so loud.
“The atmosphere was incredible and all I could hear for five or ten minutes afterwards was my song. It was incredible.
“To do that in front of my family and all my friends that were here, it is probably something that is going to stay with me forever.”
It was Godden who claimed the glory for the goal but credit should also go to team-mate Lloyd Jones who set up the opportunity.
Macaulay Gillesphey floated a long ball towards the edge of the box where Lloyd Jones got a touch to it and after going into the challenge a hesitant-looking Franco Ravizzoli, it came off the goalkeeper to Godden who chested down and tapped home.
Godden said: “The keeper looked like he didn’t quite want it and I could see that Lloydy was going to get his toe to it.
“As soon as he got his toe to it, and [with] the ricochet, I knew that if I could just take a touch then [I’d score].
“I managed to stay calm in the moment and it was an easy job putting the ball in the back of the net.”
But things could have been different had Addicks defender Kayne Ramsay not produced an earlier outstanding double-block to deny Garath McCleary and then Xavier Simons on the follow-up.
Godden admitted: “That’s what it is all about – it is a team game and big moments.
“It was incredible and that’s just as good as my goal.”
Charlton head to Wembley bang in form after an impressive turnaround in fortunes since just before Christmas propelled them up the table.
They dropped down to fourteenth after a disappointing scoreless draw with Mansfield Town but haven’t looked back since trouncing Northampton 5-0 on the road the following week.
“We had the tough times before December and then from December onwards we were eyeing the play-offs,” Godden said. “We got there and we’ve got a day out at Wembley.
“We kind of knew that within 90 minutes we were going to get a big moment. We know shooting towards the Covered End that always gives an extra ten or 20 per cent.
“We said at half-time this is our time, this is our moment. We’ve been waiting to shoot towards them [the fans] all tie and it is an incredible day for the football club.”
