With no EFL Trophy nonsense this season (thank God & Nathan Jones) and no FA Cup until January, a League Cup run this season will do very nicely for keeping the squad interested. Well done the lads tonight Tougher tests to come...
Copied from the CAFC website; Charlton 3 Stevenage 1 Ibrahim Fullah netted his first professional goal and Miles Leaburn and Luke Berry also scored as the Addicks advanced into the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 victory over Stevenage at The Valley. Nathan Jones made 11 changes from the team that beat Watford in Saturday's Sky Bet Championship opener with summer signings Joe Rankin-Costello, Tanto Olaofe, Harvey Knibbs and academy starlet Fullah making their full debuts. After causing some early threats, the Addicks took a 27th-minute lead through Leaburn. The dangerous Olaofe landed on a loose ball and had time to thread a ball through to his strike partner, who took a touch to compose himself before slotting past Taye Ashby-Hammond. After a Charlton academy graduate scored the Addicks' first, the second, eight minutes later, was made in the academy. Henry Rylah’s low, powerful cross from the right found its way to Fullah at the back post, who wrestled off his defender and finished well across goal. Charlton had a big appeal for a penalty shortly after they had scored their second when Olaofe, facing away from goal, looked to be clipped by a Stevenage defender but referee Craig Hicks waved away the Addicks’ appeals. Stevenage looked to edge their way back into the game in the second half but still did little to trouble Will Mannion in the Charlton goal. For the Addicks, substitute Berry sneakily poked Rankin-Costello’s shot on goal, but Ashby-Hammond reacted quickly enough and gathered the ball gratefully. The visitors made four changes in the 60th minute and managed to wrestle some momentum before Berry’s goal with 13 minutes remaining. Daniel Kanu’s cross from the left was wonderful and the substitute got across his defender and placed his header beautifully in the bottom corner. Lewis Freestone scored a late consolation goal for Stevenage when he headed home Jasper Pattenden’s cross from the right. Jones' side go into tomorrow's Carabao Cup second round draw before a trip to Bristol City in the league on Saturday. Charlton: Mannion; Z.Mitchell, A.Mitchell, Gillesphey (c); Rylah (Mwamba 76), Knibbs (Berry 46), Rankin-Costello, Anderson, Fullah (Enslin 82); Olaofe (Kanu 65), Leaburn (Kelman 65) Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Laqeretabua, Docherty, Apter Goals: Leaburn 27, Fullah 36, Berry 77 Assists: Olaofe 27, Rylah 36, Kanu 77 Stevenage: Ashby-Hammond, Freestone, Malcolm (Reid 60), Sweeney, Butler (c) (Goode 60), Phillips, White (Docherty 73), Campbell (Roberts 60), Kemp (Houghton 60), Pattenden, Patterson Subs (not used): Marschall, Piergianni, Suleiman, Norris Goal: Freestone 86 Assist: Pattenden 86 Referee: Craig Hicks Attendance: 4,092 (374 from Stevenage)
