Charlton 3 Burton Albion 2
Charlton extended their unbeaten run at home to four games with a 3-2 win against Burton Albion at The Valley to move to 10th in League One.
A scintillating Jes Rak-Sakyi put the Addicks 2-0 up with his 12th and 13th goals of the season as Dean Holden’s side started with the same ruthlessness seen last weekend in Charlton’s 6-0 win against Shrewsbury Town.
A Burton goal in stoppage time of the first half was quickly cancelled out early in the second half by Macauley Bonne’s second goal in as many home games before a late strike from the visitors gave Charlton a scare.
Holden made two enforced changes from the team that played on Good Friday with Mandela Egbo making his first start since October and Bonne returning to the starting line-up. Miles Leaburn, who picked up a minor knock on Friday, and Steven Sessegnon, missing through management of his knee injury, were not included in the squad.
The home side started brightly with Terell Thomas releasing Tyreece Campbell down the left wing, whose stinging shot was palmed away at the near post by former Addick Craig MacGillivray.
Charlton took the lead in the eighth minute in spectacular fashion. Albie Morgan found Rak-Sakyi on the right wing. The 20-year-old danced inside and faked a shot with his left foot, fooling two Burton defenders in the process, creating room for a shot on his right foot, which he dispatched confidently giving MacGillivray no chance.
The Charlton pressure continued and Rak-Sakyi had a second nine minutes later, this time Scott Fraser was the provider, bursting away from the visiting midfield, before playing a perfectly-weighted pass for the Addicks winger advancing into the penalty area. Rak-Sakyi controlled well, beating a Burton defender, before placing the ball in the corner of the goal.
Burton pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time when the Addicks weren’t able to clear a long ball into the box and defender Sam Hughes was able to pass into an unguarded net.
The home side restored their two-goal lead five minutes into the second half when Campbell got to the byline on the left wing. His cross was deflected into the path of Bonne who made no mistake for his second goal in as many home games.
Charlton really turned on the style and Bonne nearly scored two more – seeing MacGillivray gather on the second attempt from one shot before the striker hit the crossbar.
The visitors pulled a goal back when Hughes headed a deep corner back across goal and Josh Walker headed home.
The Addicks were able to hold on to the three points with Ashley Maynard-Brewer making an important late save to keep out Joe Powell.
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Egbo (Kane 67), Inniss, Hector, Thomas; Morgan (Mitchell 89), Dobson (c) (Payne 68), Fraser (Henry 67); Rak-Sakyi, Bonne (Kanu 89), Campbell
Subs (not used): Wollacott, Kilkenny
Goals: Rak-Sakyi 8, 17, Bonne 50
Assists: Morgan 8, Fraser 17
Booked: Payne 87 (foul on Oshilaja)
Sent-off: Payne 90+1 (foul on Kamwa)
Burton Albion: MacGillivray, Brayford (c) (Ashworth 84), Oshilaja, Hughes, Powell, Taylor, Moon, Walker (Carayol 80), Shaughnessy, Helm (Ahadme 63), Latty-Fairweather (Kamwa 84)
Subs (not used): Amissah, McCann, Gilligan
Booked: Moon 74 (foul on Campbell)
Goals: Hughes, 45+2, Walker 77
Assist: Hughes 77
Referee: S Gill
Attendance: 12,788 (222 from Burton Albion)
