Charlton Athletic 4 Norwich City 2

Last updated : 03 May 2009 By Footymad Previewer
Norwich City went down to League One with barely a whimper at The Valley as they lost 4-2 to already relegated Charlton Athletic, who ended their own dismal season on a rare high note thanks to a hat-trick from Deon Burton.

Watched by 3,000 travelling fans the Canaries capitulated conceding three goals in the first half-hour to put Charlton on their way to only their eighth League win in 46 matches this season.

With Charlton and Southampton already down, Norwich had to win the game and hope Barnsley failed to get a point at Plymouth to have any chance of survival, but their early performance was so abject that they sealed their fate despite what happened in the other game.

Charlton took the lead on nine minutes when their Player of the Year Nicky Bailey headed home at the far post for his 13th goal of the season.

The home side lost on-loan defender Darren Ward after 13 minutes with a shoulder injury, which gave the opportunity for a League debut for 18-year-old Chris Solly, who became the 39th player to appear for Charlton this season.

Burton scored the first of his three goals after 25 minutes after some poor defending from Norwich and four minutes later from Bailey's cross, he was given another easy chance to put Charlton into the most comfortable position they have been all season.

But in injury time in the first half Alan Lee headed Norwich in with an outside chance.

But this disappeared completely five minutes after half-time when a brilliant solo run by Lloyd Sam set up Burton for his third goal.

Although Sammy Clingan scored direct from a free-kick on the hour, Norwich's fate would have been sealed whatever the result because of Barnsley's victory at Home Park.