Charlton’s U18s booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup with victory over Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium on Tuesday.
Daniel Kanu’s 28th goal of the season sent the Londoners on their way early on, but the hosts pegged them back on the half-hour mark. The Addicks would not be denied, however, and Jason Adigun’s goal just before the break sealed a deserved date with Brighton & Hove Albion in the next round.
The young Addicks started on the front foot and came close to an opener on 12 minutes when the ball dropped to Karoy Anderson in the box, but the skipper could only blaze his effort over the bar, while Kanu flicked a header over moments later.
The pressure soon told, however, with Charlton taking a deserved lead with 14 minutes on the clock. A throw down the right allowed Tolu Ladapo into a position to hook a dipping cross towards the far post where Mack Reilly was on hand to nod the ball back for Kanu to cushion a finish home.
Stanley enjoyed their first sniff at goal five minutes later and it took a smart save from Ahmed Kone to keep out Calvin Harper’s drive as he got into the box.
The hosts would grab a leveller on the half-hour mark, however, when Leslie Adekoya headed home from a left-wing cross.
Charlton had been impressing in the first half and were unfortunate to be level pegging but for some earlier missed opportunities. Adigun should probably have done better when he was teed up by Kanu in a good position in the box, but skewed his shot wide five minutes before the half-time whistle.
But the youngster certainly made up for it five minutes later as he restored his side’s lead on the stroke of half-time. Anderson’s quick feet on the edge of the box allowed him to lay off to Nathan Asiimwe who found an unmarked Adigun in the box to crash home a header.
The Londoners continued to impress in possession after the break, but Accrington had their moments as they clambered for another equaliser. Indeed, they had the ball in the net in bizarre circumstances just after the hour when a deep free-kick caused some havoc. With the ball pinging around the box and then off the post, it was eventually bundled in by Aaron Pickles, only to be ruled out by the linesman’s flag on the far side with the ball seemingly having gone out of play in the build-up.
With legs tiring, the game opened up somewhat. Kanu looped a header over with 10 minutes remaining, while the home side plugged away at the other end without creating too much to trouble Ahmed Kone between the sticks with the Addicks’ defence effectively shutting them down.
Charlton looked to turn the screw late on with substitute Tyreece Campbell smacking the post with nine minutes remaining, cutting in from the left before unleashing a fantastic effort from the edge of the box which was touched onto the woodwork by Louis Hood.
The Accrington keeper was up quickly to make a fine double save with the attack still alive, first from Harvey Kedwell’s drive, before denying Kanu’s follow-up.
Kanu was denied again in injury time when Harvey Monk’s sliding challenge got in the way of his goalbound effort, but two goals would prove to be enough for the Addicks who will now prepare to host Brighton in round five.
The Seagulls booked their trip to south London with a 1-0 fourth-round victory over Manchester City on Tuesday afternoon.
Accrington U18s: Hood, Akukwe, O’Brien, Gough (Henderson 80), Pickles, Monk, Devonport, Adekoya (Newton 90+2), Trickett, Poilly, Harper (Lawton 70).
Subs (not used): Clayton, Hall, Procter, Eze.
Booked: Monk 37 (foul on Kedwell)
Goal: Adekoya 30
Charlton U18s: Kone, Asiimwe, Mitchell, Laqeretabua, Bower, Kedwell, Adigun, Ladapo (Campbell 64 (Leaburn 90)), Anderson, Reilly (Kamara 70), Kanu.
Subs (not used): Whitling, Huke, Dench, Hobden.
Booked: Mitchell 41 (foul on Trickett)
Goals: Kanu 14, Adigun 45
Referee: S. Lucas
(Photos: www.kipax.com)