Exeter City 1 Charlton 0
A second-half push from the Addicks wasn’t enough for Charlton who fell to a 1-0 defeat at Exeter City.
After seeing out a cautious first half, Nathan Jones’ side had the better of the second half, creating plenty of chances, but were unable to find an equaliser at St James Park.
The injury-hit Addicks had defended well in an opening 45 minutes where they lacked fluency and looked to have wrestled control of the game in the second half before Tristan Crama’s 59th minute winner.
Nathan Jones made two changes from the team that knocked Southend United out of the FA Cup last week, with Ashley Maynard-Brewer replacing the injured Will Mannion in goal and skipper Greg Docherty replacing Luke Berry, who moved to the bench.
Charlton had a couple of early chances, with Miles Leaburn cutting inside from the left and seeing his shot well blocked. Matty Godden then leapt well but his header, from Terry Taylor’s whipped cross, was too close to Exeter stopper Joe Whitworth.
The home side had plenty of first-half pressure, winning 10 corners but didn’t do much to trouble Maynard-Brewer, who put his body on the line bravely to deny former Addick Josh Magennis, just before the break.
The Addicks began the second half with energy and Godden smashed a wonderfully-struck half volley just past Whitworth’s near post, with the goalkeeper scrambling. Minutes later Taylor fed Conor Coventry on the edge of the area, who curled a shot just wide of goal.
At the other end Ilmari Niskanen’s deflected shot from outside the area deflected just wide of goal and Exeter took the lead from the resulting corner with Crama getting to the ball first from Ed Francis’ inswinging corner.
With nine minutes to go Godden had a glorious chance to equalize when he got on the end of a poor defensive header but Whitworth was out quickly and to close the angle and the striker’s shot went just wide.
The late Charlton pressure continued with Alex Mitchell heading wide, when free in the box, from a broken down set piece with two minutes remaining.
Jones’ side were unable to find the equaliser they deserved and head into a busy at The Valley week, with Bromley in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday, followed by Saturday’s game against Peterborough United.
Exeter City: Whitworth, McMillan, Purrington, Crama, Woods, Francis (Fitzwater 84), Aitchison (Mitchell 73), Alli (Bird 73), Nisaken, Sweeney (c), Magennis (Doyle 90)
Subs (not used): MacDonald, Watts, Cox
Goal: Krama 59
Assist: Francis 59
Booked: Woods 22 (kicking the ball away), Niskanen 90+2 (foul on Small)
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Z.Mitchell, A.Mitchell, Gillesphey, Edwards; Coventry (Berry 74), Taylor (Ahadme 67), Docherty (c), A.Campbell (Small 67); Leaburn, Godden
Subs (not used): Reid, Edmonds-Green, Edun, Hylton
Booked: Gillesphey 39 (foul on Magennis)
Referee: Matt Corlett
Attendance: 7,347 (914 from Charlton)
