Charlton 1 Shrewsbury Town 0
Thierry Small netted a dramatic, stoppage-time winner, in front of the Covered End as the Addicks moved within two points of the play-offs by beating Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at The Valley.
The win was Charlton’s fifth in seven league games and the clean sheet their 11th of the season.
For the seventh league game in a row Nathan Jones named an unchanged starting lineup and the Addicks started well with Luke Berry forcing a save from goalkeeper Jamal Blackman with a low free kick that went through the wall.
Tyreece Campbell was Charlton’s biggest threat in the opening half and saw his driven cross cleared off the line after he had done excellently to beat his man to the byline.
The best chance of the half fell to Small, who received the ball at the end of a lovely passing move. Cutting in from the right, onto his stronger left foot, the wing back curled a shot just over the crossbar.
At the other end, Shrewsbury failed to test the Addicks in the opening 45, recording an xg of 0.00.
Blackman was called into action again three minutes into the second half, getting down quickly to keep out a Miles Leaburn header.
Greg Docherty then saw his shot, from 10 yards, hit teammate Berry after some intricate interplay down the left by Josh Edwards and Campbell.
The visitors first shot at goal came in the 72nd minute with Ashley Maynard-Brewer getting down comfortably to keep out John Marquis.
With Nathan Jones using his game-changers, Kayne Ramsay returned to the pitch for his first appearance since suffering an injury against Stockport County in October.
Shrewsbury nearly completed a snatch and grab in the fourth minute of stoppage time with Lloyd Jones clearing off the line from Luca Hoole.
Minutes after that it was Thierry-time, Josh Edwards got his head to a loose ball and the ball dropped to Small in the penalty box who made no mistake, sliding the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs with his weaker right foot. The moment got the celebration it deserved, as Small charged to the Covered End to celebrate in front of the home fans.
The Addicks are back at The Valley on Tuesday for the visit of Bristol Rovers.
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; A.Mitchell (Ramsay 74), Jones, Gillesphey; Small, Coventry, Berry (Anderson 74), Docherty (c) (Godden 74), Edwards; Leaburn (Aneke 63), T.Campbell
Subs (not used): Mannion, Edmonds-Green, Kanu
Goal: Small 90+6
Booked: Jones 69 (foul on Lloyd), Anderson 83 (foul on Perry)
Shrewsbury Town: Blackman, Hoole, Benning, M.Feeney, J.Feeney, Lloyd, Ojo (Perry 78), Gilliead, Castledine (Shipley 58), Nsiala (Nurse 83), Marquis (c)
Subs (not used): Savin, Biggins, Gape, Stewart
Booked: Ojo 37 (foul on T.Campbell)
Referee: Scott Tallis
Attendance: 12,999 (531 from Shrewsbury)
