Charlton 1 Birmingham City 0
Super-sub Charlie Kelman sealed all three points for the Addicks as Charlton beat Birmingham City 1-0 at The Valley on Saturday afternoon.
Nathan Jones' men enjoyed much of the ball in the opening stages but couldn’t muster a chance to separate the two teams, but it was a bright start from the home side.
The referee booked Birmingham’s August Priske on 17 minutes, after a late challenge on Lloyd Jones. Sonny Carey tested Ryan Allsopp moments later, but his effort was well gathered by the Blues keeper.
In the 35th minute, Greg Docherty had a chance to break the deadlock, directing a header towards goal, but Allsopp reacted well to come off his line and claim the ball. The two teams were all square at the break.
The Addicks came out firing at the start of the second half, as they looked to take a foothold in the game.
Priske was lucky not to have been shown a red card following another rash challenge on Lloyd Jones. He was substituted by Chris Davies in a double change moments later, as Jay Stansfield and Ibrahim Osman entered the fray for the visitors.
Harry Clarke put in a superb challenge to deny Osman from getting his ball into the box. The Blues posed more of a challenge to the Addicks following their substitutions.
With 20 minutes left to play, the gaffer made a double switch, as Kelman and Joe Rankin-Costello were brought on in place of Luke Chambers and Greg Docherty.
On 74 minutes, Charlton had their breakthrough as Kelman netted minutes after coming onto the field. Carey’s long throw into the box was flicked on by Lyndon Dykes into the centre of the 18-yard box. The ball fell into the path of Kelman, who fired home with an excellent strike, to make it 1-0 to the Addicks.
Osman nearly levelled for the Blues, as he beat his man and sent a curling shot towards the top corner. His effort fizzed just over the top of Will Mannion’s goal.
Kelman almost had a brace just before the 90, as his effort flashed across the face of goal.
Miles Leaburn came close to doubling the Addicks’ advantage in stoppage time. Harry Clarke did some excellent work down the right-hand side to feed the ball to Leaburn in the box, whose effort went just wide of the post.
The win moves the Addicks nine points clear of the relegation zone, ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Middlesbrough.
Charlton are back in action at The Valley on Saturday, March 21st as they host Norwich City. Click here to purchase your tickets now.
Charlton: Mannion, Ramsay, Jones, Bell; Clarke, Coventry (Coady 90), Carey, Docherty (Rankin-Costello 70), Chambers (Kelman 70); Dykes (Leaburn 81) Campbell (Gillesphey 90)
Subs (not used): Brooks, Gough, Fullah, Fevrier
Goal: Kelman 74
Birmingham City: Allsop, Paik, Klarer, Panzo (Fujimoto 27), Wagner, Solis (Laird 81), Iwata, Gray (Osman 57), Ducksch, Vicente (Roberts 81), Priske (Stansfield 57)
Subs (not used): Mayo, Neumann, Robinson, Osayi-Samuel,
Booked: Priske 17
Referee: Sam Allison
Att: 18,541 (3,321 away)
