Cray Valley PM 1 Charlton 6

The Addicks booked their place in the second round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 6-1 win at Cray Valley PM on Wednesday night.

Charlton made a quick start to the first round replay and created three almost identical chances for Alfie May inside the first 20 minutes.

The first two were created by the lively Nathan Asiimwe but resulted in a block and a routine save from Sam Freeman. The third, the product of a wonderful lofted ball from George Dobson, saw May volley straight at the goalkeeper and then hit the side-netting on the rebound.

Michael Appleton's side were getting closer, and in the 24th minute Lucas Ness twice went within inches of opening the scoring. First, from a Scott Fraser free-kick, a combination of Ness and Freddie Parker flicked the ball just over the bar and then, from the resulting corner, Ness’ header was cleared off the line by Barney Williams.

10 minutes before the break, the Addicks got the breakthrough through their two most dangerous players to that point. Ness played an inch-perfect ball over the top for May, who showed his class by bringing the ball down and coolly dinking Freeman with the outside of his foot. 

What happened next was not in Appleton’s script. With his side dominant and two minutes of the half remaining, a ball over the top from Cem Tumkaya found Kyrell Lisbie suddenly one-on-one with Sam Walker. Lisbie got there first, and Walker caught him. It may have been outside the box, but referee Charles Breakspear pointed to the spot.

It would be Lisbie to take and he made no mistake, going down the middle to go one better than he did at The Valley and claim a goal against his father's former team.

Charlton’s first-half dominance had only resulted in one goal apiece, and so Appleton would have been delighted to see his side take the game away from the Millers in the first 15 minutes of the second period.

Just as he was in the first half, Asiimwe was the architect of an early chance, getting to the byline and digging out a cross in the four minutes after the restart. This time it was converted, as Miles Leaburn rose above Tumkaya to head past Freeman.

The Addicks doubled their lead just two minutes later. May combined well down the right with Fraser and was released by the Scot’s perfect through ball in behind Arthur Lee. May once again showed the ice in his veins by rounding the oncoming Freeman and turning the ball home from a tight angle.

Just before the hour-mark, birthday boy Dobson provided the pick of the goals. Receiving the ball from Asiimwe on the right, the skipper took one touch to control before finding the top-left corner with his second.

With Charlton now in complete control, all that remained was for two academy players to put the icing on the cake. First, in the 77th minute, a Fraser free-kick from the left was not cleared and Conor McGrandles was able to square across the edge of the box to Tyreece Campbell, whose first-time shot beat Freeman.

Then, with five minutes remaining, Dobson’s ball over the top found Fraser. Although the midfielder's initial effort was well saved, 17-year-old Micah Mbick was following in to poke home just three minutes into his Addicks debut.

Charlton now face a trip to Gillingham in round two on Saturday, December 2nd (KO 3pm GMT).

Charlton: Walker; Asiimwe, Ness, Jones, Edun (T.Watson 67); Dobson (c), McGrandles (Mbick 82), Fraser; May (C.Campbell 83), Blackett-Taylor (T.Campbell 46), Leaburn (Kedwell 82)

Subs (not used): Molyneux, L.Watson, Tedić, Bower

Goals: May 35, 51, Leaburn 49, Dobson 59, T.Campbell 77, Mbick 85

Assists: Ness 35, Asiimwe 49, Fraser 51, Asiimwe 59, McGrandles 77

Booked: Walker 43 (foul on Lisbie)

Cray Valley PM: Freeman; Williams, Tumkaya, Lee (c), Asiedu (Ekpiteta 66); Black, Ibrahiym (Oshilaja 62), Vigor (Anau 60); Ademiluyi (Gayle 60), Parker, Lisbie (Chambers 66)

Subs (not used): Ovendenn, Coombes, Gilchrist, Turner

Goal: Lisbie 44

Booked: Williams 76 (foul on May)

Referee: Charles Breakspear