Barnsley 3 Charlton 1
Charlton were made to rue missed chances in an action-packed first half as the Addicks were beaten by a ruthless Barnsley.
The Addicks responded to a 10th minute wondergoal by the home side by creating numerous first-half opportunities, but a lack of composure in front of goal made it difficult for Charlton to get back into the game after going two behind early in the second half.
Charlton returned to a 4-3-3 formation for the Oakwell clash with Craig MacGillivray replacing Joe Wollacott, away on international duty with Ghana, and Mandela Egbo coming in to make his full Charlton debut after an impressive performance from the substitutes bench last weekend.
Josh Benson put Barnsley ahead in the 10th minute with an arrowed shot from more than 30 yards that went straight into the top corner of the goal, leaving MacGillivray with no chance.
Charlton responded though and looked dangerous but were unable to net an instant response despite plenty of first-half chances. Jes Rak-Sakyi, operating on the right wing, was a constant threat getting in behind the Barnsley defence.
The 19-year-old was denied by an excellent block by Tom Edwards with his shot from inside the six-yard area goalbound. He then beat two defenders to get to the byline and set up Egbo for Charlton’s best chance of the half, but the full-back skied his shot.
It was that lack of composure in front of goal that meant Charlton went in 1-0 down at the break with Sean Clare blasting a shot over the crossbar and Corey Blackett-Taylor cutting in from the left and seeing his shot clear the crossbar.
Eoghan O’Connell wasn’t able to hit the target from a Scott Fraser corner late in the opening period and the centre-back then did excellently to head a Nicky Cadden corner off the line in first half stoppage-time.
Barnsley doubled their lead nine minutes into the second half. Devante Cole got to the byline and pulled a cross back for James Norwood to flick in.
The Addicks moved towards a 4-4-2 near the hour-mark with Miles Leaburn and Charlie Kirk coming off the bench, but Barnsley were still able to press forward and Adam Phillips struck the post from a tight angle.
Ben Garner made three more substitutions with Steven Sessegnon returning to the pitch after a spell on the sidelines with injury. Charlton nearly pulled a goal back immediately with O’Connell’s flicked header, from substitute Jack Payne's corner, just missing the goal.
Cole then made it 3-0, with Jordan Williams capitalising on a defensive mix-up and passing to Cole, who side-footed the ball into the bottom corner.
Payne did get a late goal back for Charlton - his first for the club - finishing neatly from a clever chest down by Jayden Stockley with five minutes in the game remaining, but the Addicks were unable to further trouble Jack Walton in the Barnsley goal.
Barnsley: Walton, Williams, Edwards, Anderson (c), Cadden (Larkeche 66), Kane, Norwood (Phillips 59), Benson, Thomas (Martin 85), Cundy (McCarthy 66), Cole
Subs (not used): Searle, McCarthy, Hondermarck, Tedic
Goals: Benson 10, Norwood 54, Cole 76
Charlton: MacGillivray; Egbo (Sessegnon 72), Lavelle, O’Connell, Clare; Dobson (McGrandles 72), Fraser (Leaburn 59), Morgan; Rak-Sakyi (Payne 72), Stockley (c), Blackett-Taylor (Kirk 59)
Subs (not used): Harness, Inniss
Goal: Payne 85
Referee: Adam Herczeg
Attendance: 10,234 (588 from Charlton)
