Cambridge United 1 Charlton 2
Charlton made it back-to-back wins on the road with a 2-1 victory at Cambridge United.
Jes Rak-Sakyi scored and assisted Miles Leaburn in a first-half dominated by the Addicks. The home side pulled a goal back in the second half but Charlton held on to end a good week.
Holden made one change from the side that beat Morecambe 4-1 on Tuesday with Rak-Sakyi replacing Corey Blackett-Taylor who will miss the next six-to-eight weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in the mid-week victory.
After a battling start, the Addicks took the lead with a devastating break in the 14th minute. Sean Clare’s ball down the line was well weighted for Rak-Sakyi who timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and get in behind the Cambridge defence. The winger got to the byline and his low cross across goal made it easy for Leaburn to smash into the unguarded goal.
Rak-Sakyi came close to doubling Charlton’s lead four minutes later, heading wide from Albie Morgan’s whipped cross.
The two combined 10 minutes later for Charlton’s second. Leaburn won a free kick in Cambridge’s half and Morgan’s teasing delivery to the front post was beautifully met by Rak-Sakyi, whose deft poke gave former Addick, Dimitar Mitov, no chance in the Cambridge goal.
Charlton continued to control the game, forcing Cambridge into a triple substitution at the break, while Leaburn also made way for Daniel Kanu after picking up a minor hamstring injury.
The Addicks started the second half at the same tempo and immediately created openings with Clare breaking forward and powering a shot well above the crossbar.
At the other end Ashley Maynard-Brewer had his first real save to make in the 57th minute – when he got down well to his left to keep out a Ryan Bennett header.
That was to be a warning and Cambridge would pull a goal back from another set piece 14 minutes later. Bennett again won first contact on the ball from a Cambridge corner and his centre-back partner Lloyd Jones wriggled free at the back post to finish from close range.
Buoyed by the goal the home side pressed on chasing an equaliser, utilising set pieces to put the Charlton defence under pressure.
Both teams had shouts for penalties with the Charlton fans completely bemused a penalty wasn’t given for what looked like a man-handling of Kanu in the Cambridge box.
The Addicks held on to secure back-to-back wins and move up to 11th in League One ahead of next weekend’s game at The Valley against Wycombe Wanderers.
Cambridge United: Mitov, Digby (c), Jones, Brophy (Williams 89), Ironside, Smith (Tracey 46), Lankester, R Bennett, Morrison (Seddon 46), Knibbs (Worman 46), L Bennett
Subs (not used): Mannion, Williams, Dunk, Yearn
Goal: Jones 71
Assist: Bennett 71
Booked: R.Bennett 27 (dissent), Seddon 88 (foul on Kilkenny)
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Clare, Inniss, Hector, Thomas (Sessegnon 72); Morgan (Kilkenny 72), Dobson (c), Fraser; Rak-Sakyi (Bonne 90+1), Leaburn (Kanu 46), Campbell (Payne 79)
Subs (not used): Wollacott, Henry
Goals: Leaburn 14, Rak-Sakyi 28
Assists: Rak-Sakyi 14, Morgan 28
Referee: Marc Edwards
Attendance: 7,068 (1,469 from Charlton)