Hull’s hopes of reaching the Sky Bet Championship play‑offs took a heavy blow on Saturday when Charlton’s Jayden Fevrier struck in the second half to clinch a 2‑1 win at The Valley. The Addicks, who had taken the lead earlier through Charlie Kelman’s seventh goal of the season, snapped a seven‑match winless streak and, with the three points, mathematically guaranteed their safety in the division.
Hull, on the other hand, have now endured six games without a victory, managing only four points from a possible eighteen. Their failure to climb back above Wrexham means they remain outside the top six and their play‑off dream is now hanging by a thread. The Tigers were forced into an early substitution when Eliot Matazo, making his first appearance since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in February 2025, was taken off in the 11th minute.
The match opened with Charlton taking the initiative. In the 20th minute, Kelman produced a brilliant strike: after receiving a through ball from Conor Coady, he cut inside the defending line of Semi Ajayi and curled a shot into the top‑right corner from the edge of the penalty area. That goal gave the Addicks an early cushion and they defended the lead with determination.
Hull began to push forward towards the end of the first half, but it was not until the fifth minute of added time that they truly threatened Thomas Kaminski’s goal. Joe Gelhardt, the club’s top scorer, saw a cross from Liam Millar and his effort whizzed just wide of the post. A defensive lapse by Hull’s loanee from Ipswich, Harry Clarke, provided Charlton with the equaliser just before the break.
Clarke’s mis‑directed header fell out for a corner, and substitute Paddy McNair delivered a deep ball that John Egan headed home from a tight angle. Goal‑line technology confirmed the ball had crossed the line before being cleared, and the referee Tom Nield awarded the goal. The second half saw Charlton double their advantage in the 68th minute. Fevrier, on loan from Stockport, showcased his dribbling flair before unleashing a low, left‑footed finish from about 20 yards that beat Hull keeper Ivor Pandur.
It was the first time Charlton had scored twice in a Championship fixture since 31 January, underscoring the significance of the win. Hull attempted to respond, with Mohamed Belloumi’s effort saved by Kaminski and Lyndon Dykes forcing a fingertip save from Pandur as Hull’s defence began to show gaps.
A late chance for Fevrier to make it 3‑1 was denied when the ball was cleared off the line in stoppage time. After the final whistle, Charlton manager Nathan Jones reflected on the result: “It’s one of the best achievements of my career, but there’s also a hint of disappointment.
We should be higher up the table. We never make things easy – we miss clear‑cut chances at home and then score two spectacular goals.
The pressure is enormous. The pressure of trying to get promoted is one thing; the pressure of avoiding relegation is entirely different. We analyse every opponent in detail, and that can be sleepless work because every team has threats.
We are still evolving and haven’t quite arrived at where we want to be yet. It’s a relief, not euphoria. At the start of the season I might not have taken this job, but as the season progressed staying up became the first milestone.
I’m proud of the players, the club and the staff – what a day. This group always finds a way when it matters.” Hull’s Sergej Jakirovic expressed his frustration: “It’s unbelievable that we haven’t won a game at this stage of the season.
Every team goes through rough patches, but this is ours now. Our play‑off chances are tiny – if Wrexham pick up a point we’re done. It’s not mathematically over, but the hope is fragile and we must win our next game.
It’s a huge problem because it’s no longer in our hands. We played much better in the second half; we needed to be braver in the first and take risks. The goal we conceded was perfect – the player dribbled past three defenders.
We tried everything, but football is football – we missed our chances. Congratulations to Charlton.” The defeat also extended Hull’s historic run of failing to win their final away league game for 19 consecutive seasons, a statistic that now hangs over the club as they look to salvage any remaining play‑off hopes. Meanwhile, Charlton’s victory not only secures their place in the Championship for next season but also provides a morale boost as they aim to build on this momentum. Off the pitch, the match was accompanied by various promotional messages, including reminders to use Chrome for a more accessible video player, prompts to download the Sky Sports app, and advertisements for the Sky NOW service.
A £250,000 Super 6 prize was also highlighted, with entries due by 3 pm on Saturday, offering fans a chance to win a substantial sum while enjoying the drama of the league.