A young Charlton U23s side cruised to the third round of the Kent Senior Cup with a convincing 5-1 victory at Cray Wanderers.
Terrique Anderson made his Addicks debut yesterday and followed that up netting twice today with Jordan Zemura, the very impressive Luke Carey and substitute Kareem Isiaka also finding the goal in the win.
The Wands, who sit 10 points clear at the top of the Bostick South East Division, put up a fight in an open first half but the Addicks closed out the second half comfortably and very much deserved their win.
Charlton began the game at real pace and could have scored twice in the opening two minutes. For the first captain Taylor Maloney found Anderson who had his shot blocked behind. Then Wilberforce Ocran smashed just wide against the team he is currently on loan at.
Charlton did have the lead in the seventh minute though and it was left back Zemura with a very impressive goal. It has been a good goalscoring season for Addicks Academy left backs with Jamie Mascoll netting a beauty in the Checkatrade Trophy and Toby Stevenson scoring four in his first two games for the first team. Indeed Stevenson was in the crowd to watch Zemura stride forward, play a one-two with Anderson, freeze his defender with a step-over and then smash past Nick Blue with a fearsome right-footed shot from 10 yards out.
If the first goal was individual brilliance, the second was definitely all about the team. A Maloney through ball found Ben Dempsey, who touched into the path of James Gody. The striker fed Luke Carey on the right wing, who cut inside and finished neatly in the 14th minute.
With a goal every seven minutes the next came in the 21st minute. A deep Maloney cross was smartly headed across goal by Dempsey and Anderson was on hand to tap-in to an empty net from no more than two yards out.
The Wands did get one back when Jo Cummings poked a whipped free kick past his own goalkeeper in the 25th minute.
The game remained open with the dangerous Jerome Frederico and Karl Dent both coming close for the hosts, while Ocran and Gody missed half chances for the Addicks.
A Zak Henry drive from outside the area on the stroke of half-time for the hosts nearly saw them get a second one back but it bounced clear to the relief of Joe Osaghae in the Addicks goal.
The second half didn’t see a let-up and within minutes of the restart Maloney curled a free kick just wide and Cummings narrowly missed the target with a good header from a Charlton corner.
Like with the first half the warning signs were there and Anderson scored his second goal of the game in the 54th minute. Carey broke well down the left and found his teammate in the penalty box with a low cross. Anderson made no mistake in a crowded box as he passed the ball home to make it 4-1.
Anderson nearly had his hat-trick but his drive from the edge of the area went just past the post and Demspey also saw a looping effort go just wide after another neat bit of interplay.
It was five shortly afterwards when a quick corner was played short to Freddy Barton. His cross found unmarked substitute Kareem Isiaka who headed in from eight yards out. The scoreline remained at 5-1 through to the full-time whistle.
Charlton U23s: Osaghae; Barton, Cummings, French, Zemura; Carey, Maloney (C), Dempsey (Godding, 76), Anderson (Isiaka, 71); Gody (Vennings, 62), Ocran.
Subs (not used): Moore, Maynard-Brewer.
Goals: Zemura (7), Carey (14), Anderson (21, 54), Isiaka (77)
Booked: Cummings (76)
Referee: P Cruise
Attendance: 161