Johnnie Jackson was pleased with the Addicks’ showing as they cruised to a 4-1 triumph over Southampton U21s at The Valley on Tuesday evening to progress to the next round of the Papa John’s Trophy.
Two goals in six minutes from Jayden Stockley gifted Charlton a 2-0 lead on 34 minutes, with Ben Purrington then adding a third in first-half stoppage time, followed by captain Jason Pearce’s header on 92 minutes to round off a positive display in SE7.
“A really good night, we scored some good goals,” Jackson told CharltonTV. “We wanted to score a few - it’s slightly disappointing there’s no clean sheet. For us these are good games because obviously we’ve got a big squad now and there’s competition for places.
“It’s an opportunity for lads who haven’t necessarily been getting the required minutes to get a good, competitive game and a little showcase for some of the younger lads as well so they are really interesting games for us.
“At the start of the second-half Southampton changed,” explained the Addicks’ assistant manager. “They had a little bit more intensity about them and they changed their shape a little bit. I thought we dropped off a little bit so that was slightly disappointing, obviously they’ve scored a goal to come back into it.
“For me we should have been out of sight. We’ve gone on and got one more but I’d liked to have seen us start the second-half like we ended the first with that intensity and go on and score a few more goals.”
Jackson was delighted with the impact of Corey Blackett-Taylor and Charles Clayden from the bench, while also providing an update on Diallang Jaiyesimi, who was replaced by Clayden on 61 minutes.
“We’re making changes, we’re bringing on good players; you’re bringing on Corey [Blackett-Taylor] with that pace, you’re bringing on Charles Clayden with that sort of pace,” he added. “If you’re a full-back on the opposition and the game’s getting stretched and you see someone like that coming on with that pace it’s going to scare you. I thought they came on and impacted the game and helped us go on and secure it.
“I think [Diallang Jaiyesimi] is okay; I don’t know, I’ll have to speak to the physios,” said Jackson. “He didn’t seem too concerned about it as he came off, obviously we’ll have to check in.
“DJ has found himself out of the side and out of the squad in the last few games so a showcase for him to go and prove us wrong if you like tonight,” he continued. “He’s given us a sort of selection headache if you like because he’s gone and done great in that hour that he’s on there. Kirky, [Charlie Kirk] obviously it was good to get him some more minutes and he started the game at the weekend, building back into it and again he caused problems.”