Charlton 1 Forest Green Rovers 1

Charlton huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a winner in a 1-1 home draw with Forest Green Rovers.

The ever-threatening Corey Blackett-Taylor gave the Addicks an early lead in an electric opening half-hour for Charlton, but Connor Wickham’s leveller on the stroke of half time was enough to earn the visitors a point after they were able to withstand plenty of Charlton pressure.

Both sides paid tribute to Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the game with a period of silence, followed by the playing of the national anthem.

The Addicks began in their preferred 4-3-3 formation and it was a much-changed side for Charlton with Richard Chin, Jack Payne and Miles Leaburn all earning their full league debuts. Elsewhere, Ryan Inniss, Conor McGrandles and Blackett-Taylor returned to the starting XI following minor injuries.

Garner’s side started brightly with Blackett-Taylor finding the heads of Leaburn and Jes Rak-Sakyi with two crosses from the left, though neither could direct their headers at goal.

Following the quick start Charlton took a ninth minute lead and it was that man Blackett-Taylor finding the net.

The whole team contributed as the Addicks won the ball back through a smart, high press, with Dobson feeding Payne who calmly played in Blackett-Taylor. The winger cut inside from the left onto his preferred right foot and hammered home a powerful strike, giving Luke McGee in the Forest Green goal no chance.

Blackett-Taylor continued to be dangerous, hitting the side-netting after a neat one-two with Payne before shooting wide from distance on another two occasions as Charlton controlled the first half.

Payne also saw a shot comfortably saved by McGee, before the keeper did well to keep out Rak-Sakyi’s header from a Blackett-Taylor cross.

After an excellent first half from Charlton, Wickham equalised on the stroke of half-time in fortunate fashion. Joe Wollacott couldn’t quite gather a cross and the ball fell to the striker to pass into the open net.

Charlton took control again as the second half started with Rak-Sakyi blasting a shot high and wide and Dobson hitting straight at McGee.

After the strong start, the visitors came back into the game and created chances with Wickham heading just wide and Wollacott smothering to deny Bryan Fiabema.

The arrival of Jayden Stockley - in the 72nd minute - gave the home side impetus and he headed over and was then well denied by the busy McCree.

Charlton pushed for a deserved winner to match a high shot count, but were unable to find the net and saw Ryan Inniss sent off deep into stoppage time for a second bookable offence. 

Charlton: Wollacott; Clare, Inniss, O’Connell (c), Chin (Clayden 72); Dobson, Payne, McGrandles (Morgan 59); Rak-Sakyi, Leaburn (Stockley 72), Blackett-Taylor (Jaiyesimi 80)

Subs (not used): MacGillivray, Lavelle, Forster-Caskey

Goal: Blackett-Taylor 9

Booked: McGrandles 37 (foul on Davis), Clare 58 (foul on Davis), Inniss 59 (foul)

Sent-off: Inniss 90+7 (second bookable offence)

Forest Green Rovers: McGee, O’Keeffe, Bernard, Casey, Hendry, Moore-Taylor (c), Fiabema, Wickham (Little 80), Marques, Peart-Harris, Davis

Subs (not used): Thomas, Jones, McAllister, O’Brien, Bunker, Brown

Goal: Wickham 45

Booked: Davis 42 (foul on Payne), Bernard 90+4 (foul on Clare), O'Keefe 90+6 (foul on O'Connell)

Referee: J Busby

Attendance: 10,579 (202 from Forest Green)