Burton Albion 0 Charlton 1
Conor Coventry’s first goal for the Addicks in the 82nd minute sent the travelling Charlton fans crazy and secured an important win for Nathan Jones’ side, bringing them within five points of the playoff places.
Charlton had 24 shots and limited Burton to very little in the 1-0 victory at the Perelli Stadium, with the home side reduced to 10 men for the final 22 minutes.
Jones opted for two changes from the team that took on Huddersfield Town at the weekend with Luke Berry and Gassan Ahadme starting as Charlton moved to a 4-diamond-2 with skipper Matty Godden playing in behind Ahadme and Miles Leaburn.
The Addicks had the better of large spells in the first half and threated Max Crocombe’s goal nine times in the opening period.
Charlton’s best chance of the half came from a long throw from the right from Josh Edwards, which was flicked on by Ahadme. Leaburn was first to get to the ball but his shot went just wide of goal, with a panicked Crocombe scrambling across in an attempt to keep the ball out.
Leaburn, Luke Berry and Karoy Anderson forced comfortable first-half saves from Crocombe while at the other end the Brewers created very little with Ashley Maynard-Brewer not required to make a save in the opening half in the Charlton goal.
Burton has their first shot on goal in the 57th minute when Maynard-Brewer got down smartly to keep out Tomas Kalinauskas’ low shot from the edge of the area.
Ahadme forced a good save from Crocombe who tipped over his header from Godden’s cross from the left.
The Addicks then thought they had the lead when Rarmani Edmonds-Green's wonderful cross was met by the head of Leaburn but the ball bounced back off the post.
Terry Taylor, a substitute on the hour mark, was very much involved in the dismissal of Charlie Webster seven minutes later. Taylor’s foul on the former Chelsea man stopped a counter-attack and forced an angry reaction from Webster who pushed over the Addicks midfielder, giving referee Elliot Bell no option but to send him off.
The Addicks goal came with eight minutes to go, substitute Thierry Small broke into the box and his shot was saved by Crocombe, the rebound fell to Coventry who struck well with his right foot from near the edge of the area. Scrambling across goal Crocombe made an even better save. Again the ball fell to Coventry who this time struck with his left foot and found the goal, to the delight of the travelling supporters.
Tyreece Campbell forced an excellent late save from the busy Crocombe, to keep the score as 1-0 while Maynard-Brewer had very little else to do as the Addicks took home an important three points.
Jones’ side are back in action on Saturday in the FA Cup away to League Two high-flyers Walsall.
Burton Albion: Crocombe, Godwin-Malife, Sweeney (c), Kalinauskas, Webster, Orsi (Bennett 75), Hazlehurst (Gilligan 70), Vancooten, Armer, Bannon, Whitfield (Burrell 84)
Subs (not used): Isted, Bodin, Cooper-Love, Williams
Sent-off: Webster 68 (push on Taylor)
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Edmonds-Green (Small 82), Mitchell, Gillesphey, Edwards; Coventry, Anderson (Taylor 60), Berry; Ahadme (T.Campbell 60), Leaburn (Hylton 87), Godden (c) (Laqeretabua 87)
Subs (not used): Reid, A.Campbell
Goal: Coventry 82
Booked: Ahadme 7 (foul on Vancooten), Edmonds-Green 32 (foul on Kalinauskas), Taylor 68 (foul on Webster), T.Campbell 69 (push on Webster), Berry 88 (delaying the restart), Small 90+1 (foul on Godwin-Malife)
Referee: Elliot Bell
Attendance: 1,749