Charlton 1 Bristol Rovers 1
The Addicks fell to a stoppage-time defeat on Tuesday evening as they were beaten 2-1 by Bristol Rovers at The Valley.
It was the visitors who threatened first after three minutes. Good combination play from Aaron Collins and Luke Thomas left John Marquis free in the box, 10 yards out, but the number nine was denied by a good stop from Ashley Maynard-Brewer before Scott Sinclair snatched at the rebound.
Charlton dominated the remainder of the half and, in the 11th minute, Karoy Anderson went inches away from claiming the first league goal of his career. His inswinging corner left Rovers' Matthew Cox stranded and the goalkeeper was thankful to see the ball drop onto the top of his crossbar and out for a goal kick.
10 minutes later the Addicks had three chances to go ahead, but neither Alfie May nor Corey Blackett-Taylor could convert, the former denied by two saves from Cox and the latter firing wide when he got in behind Luca Hoole.
It would come back to haunt them when, 13 minutes into the second half, the Gas took the lead. After Antony Evans’ free-kick was brilliantly kept out by a flying Maynard-Brewer, Collins got to the rebound first and, from the byline, pulled it back for Sinclair to tap into the empty net.
Rovers had two gilt-edged chances to double their lead five minutes later, first when Sinclair beat the offside trap but saw his lob drop just wide of the post and then when Marquis, sent through by Collins, rounded Maynard-Brewer, only to be denied by a heroic goal-line clearance from Lucas Ness.
The Addicks found the breakthrough on 73 minutes when a quick free-kick from George Dobson, the Addicks’ standout performer again, released May on the right. The striker quickly played inside to Anderson, who slid a perfect pass in behind to fellow academy graduate Daniel Kanu, who made no mistake, drilling his low shot hard through Cox’s legs.
Suddenly Charlton had all the momentum and, in the 89th minute, they had a golden chance to secure the points. After Kanu won the ball back in a dangerous area, May went one-on-one with Cox. He took the shot early but could only find the inside of the post and Panutche Camará, stretching, was not able to convert the rebound.
In the eighth minute of stoppage time, The Valley was stunned by a Rovers winner. Grant Ward sent in a deep cross from the right and substitute Luke McCormick chested the ball down and volleyed in at the near post.
Charlton now look to get back to winning ways on Saturday when Port Vale visit SE7.
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Asiimwe, Jones (Hector 76), Ness, Edun (Thomas 84); Dobson (c), Camará, Anderson (Taylor 76); Payne (Kanu 64), Blackett-Taylor, May
Subs (not used): Isted, Kirk, McGrandles
Goal: Kanu 73
Assist: Anderson 73
Bookings: Payne 57 (foul on Evans), Holden 90+3 (dissent)
Bristol Rovers: Cox; Hoole, Taylor, Crama, Gordon (Grant 64); Evans (Loft 83), Ward, Collins; Thomas (Vale 64), Sinclair (Finley 64), Marquis (c) (McCormick 89)
Subs (not used): Hall, Connolly
Goals: Sinclair 58, McCormick 90+8
Assists: Collins 58, Ward 90+8
Bookings: Marquis 27 (simulation), Grant 90+2 (foul on May)
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 12,756 (780 away)
