Charlton’s U21s fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest in Premier League Cup action on Tuesday afternoon.
The visitors raced into an early lead at Princes Park in the opening game of the group stage. Alex Gibson-Hammond drove into the box from the right flank and the ball somehow worked its way to the far post, where Ateef Konate was on hand to open the scoring.
Konate forced Ahmed Kone into a smart stop moments later, while Tyreece Campbell flashed a left-footed effort narrowly wide of George Shelvey's upright at the other end.
Campbell soon threatened once more, this time cutting in from the left flank and clipping the top of the crossbar with a dipping effort from 30 yards.
Forest doubled their advantage on 33 minutes. Kone could only steer Konate's venomous drive into the path of Julian Larsson, who tapped home from a matter of yards.
Matt Dench produced a heroic last-ditch tackle on the stroke of half-time to block Dale Taylor's goalbound effort after Gibson-Hammond had played through Forest's frontman.
The visitors were gifted a third 11 minutes after the restart as Nazir Bakrin ceded possession, allowing Taylor to fire home from just inside the 18-yard box.
Hamza Serrar's side almost reduced their arrears through Sahid Kamara, though the midfielder's first-time flew just past the post.
Campbell went close two minutes from time as the Addicks continued to probe, but Shelvey was down smartly at his near post to keep out the winger's low effort.
Substitute Mack Reilly added a consolation goal for Charlton in stoppage-time, converting from close range following a well-worked free-kick routine. Fellow substitute Toby Bower pulled the ball back for Karoy Anderson, whose effort on goal was instinctively turned home by Reilly.
Charlton: Kone; O'Connor (Asiimwe 71), Mitchell, Bakrin, Dench (Bower 46); Kamara (Reilly 84), Anderson, Adigun; Campbell, Viggars (c) (Ladapo 62), Kanu
Subs (not used): Molyneux
Goal: Reilly 90+3
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(Photos: Tom West)