Charlton 1 Bristol Rovers 2
Defensive errors cost Charlton as the Addicks lost 2-1 to Bristol Rovers at The Valley.
Ryan Inniss had put the home side up in a dominant first half but two soft second-half goals quickly ended Charlton’s momentum.
Caretaker Manager Anthony Hayes made eight changes from the side that played Stockport County, with Jayden Stockley returning to the starting line-up as the central striker in a 4-3-3 formation following a three-match suspension.
The Addicks controlled the opening spells of the game with Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw making the first save of the match in the fourth minute to keep out a Jes Rak-Sakyi header from a Corey Blackett-Taylor cross.
Belshaw was busy early on and dived to his right to keep out a long-range Stockley half-volley, colliding with the post in doing so.
Jack Payne swept a shot wide in a chance-filled opening 10 minutes for the Addicks.
Rak-Sakyi forced another save from Belshaw with a rifled left-footed shot and the goalkeeper then did excellently to keep out a header from Payne, with the ball going behind for a corner.
The Addicks got the goal they deserved from the resulting set-piece. Scott Fraser’s deep corner was met at the back post by Inniss. The centre-half’s header back across goal went through a number of bodies before nestling in the goal.
The visitors had their first sight at goal in the 25th minute but it was comfortable for Ashley Maynard-Brewer to palm away to safety as the Addicks went in 1-0 up at the break.
Bristol Rovers Manager Joey Barton was forced into a half-time substitution and moved from three at the back to a back four to try and change the game’s momentum.
Despite the changes, Charlton were still creating chances in the second half with Inniss heading over from a corner, Payne having a shot blocked and Stockley powering a header just a little too close to Belshaw.
In the 61st minute the game turned when Rovers equalised through substitute John Marquis. The striker stole the ball off Inniss to go through one-on-one and made no mistake with a calm finish.
Both Marquis and Inniss had good chances for a second goal, first Marquis missed from close range at the back post while Inniss’ flicked header from an in-swinging corner went just wide.
Marquis then did get a second when he latched on to a header from Paul Coutts, from an Inniss clearance, and slid past Maynard-Brewer.
The Addicks pushed to level but were unable to match their first-half dominance as the visitors took home the three points.
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Clare, Lavelle, Inniss, Sessegnon (Chin 80); Dobson, Payne, Fraser (Kirk 88); Blackett-Taylor (Morgan 80), Stockley (c) (Aneke 64), Rak-Sakyi (Leaburn 64)
Subs (not used): Harness, Mitchell
Goal: Inniss 20
Assist: Fraser 20
Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Connolly (Hoole 46), Gordon, Sinclair (Whelan 82), Collins (Gibbons 90), Coutts (C), Gibson, Evans, McCormick (Marquis 55), Thomas, Coburn
Subs (not used): Jaakkola, Kilgour, Saunders
Goals: Marquis 61, 72
Assist: Coutts 72
Booked: Evans 29 (foul on Payne), Coutts 47 (foul on Payne)
Referee: Sam Allison
Attendance: 12,340 (1,139 from Bristol Rovers)