Peterborough United 0 Charlton 0
Charlton created chances but were unable to find a winner in a 0-0 draw at Peterborough United.
The Addicks had been the better side before Josh Knight’s 54th minute sending off, for a kick out on Jes Rak-Sakyi, but the home team's supporters felt the winger should have been sent-off for his retaliation to the kick. Posh defended well after going down to 10-men and were able to see the game out as the points were shared. The draw means the Addicks ended a two-game losing streak ahead of Saturday's trip to Plymouth Argyle.
Steven Sessegnon, Jack Payne and Macauley Bonne returned to the starting line-up for Charlton with Dean Holden making three changes as the Addicks began the game in a 3-5-2 with Payne supporting Bonne up front.
Charlton started with the purpose and energy that they finished Saturday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday and created an early chance from a second-minute set piece that fell to Michael Hector. The defender’s dragged shot landed into the path of Bonne whose shot just cleared the Peterborough crossbar.
It was from set pieces that Charlton were most dangerous in the opening half and Lucas Ness’ header in traffic from an excellent inswinging Sean Clare corner went over.
After Charlton’s early dominance Ashley Maynard-Brewer made an outstanding stretching save low to his right to keep out Jonson Clarke-Harris' powerful header.
A deep Sessegnon cross from the left was just too high for Scott Fraser to direct his header at goal and the two teams went into the break at 0-0.
The Addicks started the second half as they did the first and could have taken the lead twice in the first five minutes after the break. Rak-Sakyi’s header at the back post from Payne’s cross lacked the power to beat Will Norris and Payne then dragged wide after connecting with and excellent Sessegnon cut back from maybe Charlton's best opening of the game.
Four minutes later Knight was shown red for kicking out at Rak-Sakyi after fouling the youngster. The 19-year-old was booked for his retaliation to the incident which had the home fans calling for a stricter punishment.
The Addicks continued put the home side under pressure and twice George Dobson smashed over.
Ronnie Edwards then made a huge goal-saving block to deny Payne after a neat one-two with substitute Corey Blackett-Taylor.
Miles Leaburn, another substitute, then produced a glorious turn away from two Posh defenders before playing in Blackett-Taylor whose low shot was palmed behind by Norris.
The Addicks pushed men forward and moved to an attacking 4-4-2 but were unable to create any more clear openings and the game ended 0-0..
Peterborough United: Norris, Edwards, Knight, Taylor, Clarke-Harris (c), Mason-Clark, Poku (Jones 67, Burrows 90+5)), N Thompson, Ogbeta, Kyprianou (Norburn 67), Ward (Kent 56)
Subs (not used): Blackmore, B Thompson, Tshimanga
Booked: Taylor 55 (dissent)
Sent-off: Knight 54 (violent contact)
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Hector (Blackett-Taylor 66), Inniss, Ness; Clare, Fraser (Leaburn 78), Dobson (c) (Henry 90), Payne, Sessegnon (Penney 78); Rak-Sakyi, Bonne
Subs (not used): Wollacott, Kilkenny, Morgan
Booked: Rak-Sakyi 54 (reacting to violent conduct), Dobson 83 (foul on Taylor)
Referee: A Kitchen
Attendance: 8,290 (1,235 from Charlton)