Blackpool incident may have cost Charlton Athletic defender his place | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic let a two-goal lead slip at Bloomfield Road last weekend.

Charlton Athletic defender Macaulay Gillesphey has featured regularly in League One this season,but his mistake during the Addicks' 2-2 draw against Blackpool last weekend may have put his starting place in jeopardy.

Gillesphey has started each of the last 18 league games for Charlton and has contributed to 11 of the 12 clean sheets that Nathan Jones' side have kept in the third tier so far this season.

The 29-year-old has been the only left-footed centre-back in the squad for most of the season up to now but after Tom McIntyre signed for the club on loan from Championship side Portsmouth until the end of the season on deadline day, he now has some competition on that side of Jones' back three.

The former Plymouth Argyle defender, who left the Pilgrims to sign for Charlton in January 2024, will rue the mistake he made against Blackpool last weekend, as not only did it cost his side two points in the race for the play-offs, but it could have also convinced his manager to bring in McIntyre before the end of the January transfer window.

Charlton dropped two points at Bloomfield Road

Charlton travelled to Blackpool last weekend to take on Steve Bruce's side knowing that victory could leave them inside the top six in League One, and for 70 minutes, it looked as though that was what they were going to do.

Matty Godden turned home his eighth league goal of the season to put the Addicks in front shortly after the interval before Tyreece Campbell's low cross was put into his own net by Oliver Casey to give the visitors a two-goal advantage a couple of minutes later.

With more than half an hour remaining in the game, there was, of course, every chance that the Tangerines could find a way back into it, but considering that Charlton had previously won every league match in which they had scored first this season, there was belief that they would see it out.

However, after Sam Silvera had restored hope for the hosts with a curling effort from outside the box with just over 15 minutes remaining, Gillesphey attempted to bring a dropping ball under control and took a heavy touch, allowing Jake Beesley to race through one-on-one, hit the crossbar, and enable Niall Ennis to turn home the rebound.

Gillesphey had produced a good performance up until the mistake, but after McIntyre was signed on deadline day, he will likely be rueing his error even more than he already was.

Gillesphey will hope to see his name on the teamsheet for Stevenage

Nathan Jones' defensive options have changed somewhat compared to last week following the final day of the January transfer window on Monday.

Rarmani Edmonds-Green signed for Leyton Orient, Zach Mitchell joined St Johnstone on loan, and McIntyre arrived on loan from Pompey, as the Welshman reshuffled his choice of centre-backs.

The Addicks host Stevenage at The Valley in a crucial game in the League One play-off race tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see whether McIntyre is given the nod ahead of Gillesphey on the left-hand side of the back three after the events of last weekend.

Jones will no doubt hope that some competition will push both players to be at their best during the remaining months of the campaign, but considering that he was one of the first names on the teamsheet before the arrival of McIntyre, Gillesphey may feel as though his error at Blackpool might have cost him his place.