Birmingham City 1 Charlton 0

The Addicks' six-game unbeaten run came to an end with a narrow defeat away to table toppers Birmingham City.

The home side had the better of the first half, with Jay Stansfield giving them a 23rd-minute lead, but Charlton stuck with it and had chances, in an improved second half, to level the scores.

Nathan Jones named an unchanged team from the side that beat Stevenage on Saturday and Peterborough United at The Valley on Tuesday.

After an opening quarter where neither side created much it was Birmingham who took the lead. Stansfield won the ball just inside the Charlton half and advanced towards goal with supporting runners. The Birmingham striker smashed his shot, from the edge of the area, past Ashley Maynard-Brewer and into the roof of the net. 

Luke Berry had the Addicks' first attempt at goal at goal, heading wide from a Josh Edwards’ cross from the left. 

The home side came close to doubling their lead when Kieran Dowell’s long-range free kick hit the base of the post and Maynard-Brewer then did well to keep out Tomoki Iwata’s low shot.

For Charlton Lloyd Jones’ header was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Ryan Allsop and Greg Docherty had his goalbound shot well blocked. 

Willium Willumsson nearly had Birmingham’s second goal when he curled a shot just wide of the post.

The Addicks' best chance of the first half came just before the break, Tyreece Campbell got to the byline and drilled a ball across goal which just needed a Charlton touch for the Addicks to find an equaliser. 

Nathan Jones opted for a change of shape at half time, moving to a 4-box-2 while Will Mannion replaced the injured Maynard-Brewer.

Charlton’s first sight of goal in the second half fell to Campbell, who curled over, cutting in from the left. 

While the home side still had plenty of pressure they were unable to create as many chances as they did in the opening half.

The change in the shape and a number of substitutes gave the Addicks their best spell of the game and Miles Leaburn found Daniel Kanu with a knock-on, with the striker forcing Allsop into action with a left-footed shot. 

Charlton weren’t able to find an equaliser as the home side slowed the game down and held on for three points.

Birmingham City: Allsop, Laird, Klarer (c), Paik, Anderson (Hanley 85), Willumsson (Dykes 65), Cochrane, Iwata, Davies, Stansfield (May 85), Dowell (Bielik 90+8)

Subs (not used):  Peacock-Farrell, Wright, Harris

Goal: Stansfield 23

Assist: Laird 23

Booked: Davies 13 (dissent), Iwata 27 (kicking the ball away), Klarer 35 (handball), Laird 70 (foul on Edwards), Dowell 73 (foul on Ramsay), Stansfield 82 (unsportsmanlike behaviour)

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer (Mannion 46); Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey; Small (Kanu 56), Coventry (Gilbert 73), Berry (Anderson 57), Docherty (c), Edwards; Godden (Leaburn 73), T.Campbell

Subs (not used): A.Mitchell, Aneke

Booked: Coventry 30 (handball), Gilbert 89 (foul on Dowell), Docherty 90 (foul on Dowell), Anderson 90+4 (foul on Klarer)

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

Attendance: 25,542 (1,977 from Charlton)