George Jones reports
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild and Mikhail Kennedy both scored twice as Charlton’s U23s earned a thumping, 5-2 victory against Middlesbrough in the Premier League Cup on Monday afternoon.
The duo struck after Anfernee Dijksteel had levelled the scores for Jason Euell’s side, following Bradley Fewster’s first-minute opener for the visitors.
The result lifts the Addicks up to second place in Group F and they now only need one more victory from their remaining two games to qualify for the next round.
The Addicks made the worst possible start by falling behind inside the first few seconds. A ball was hooked over the top and Fewster latched onto it to fire Boro into the lead.
Charlton – who’s matchday 18 included five members of our U18s squad – levelled on the half-hour mark when an Alfie Doughty corner landed at the feet of Dijksteel and he arrowed home with his left foot.
Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov made a good save from a Boro man shortly afterwards, tipping his strike over the crossbar, and Kennedy then put the Addicks in front. He anticipated a backpass and intercepted it before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.
The goal made it six in three games for the in-form Northern Irishman and he would notch again after the break, though not before Hackett-Fairchild registered a quick-fire double.
First, he whipped a brilliant, left-footed strike into the top corner from a tight angle on 51 minutes and, 120 seconds later, he tapped home from close range after Kennedy had seen a shot well saved.
Kennedy made it five on 58 minutes, and in some style. He received possession on the edge of the box, turned a curled into the top corner of the net from 20 yards.
It was a fantastic goal and, although Boro pulled one back late on, it put the icing onto the cake on what was a brilliant performance from Euell’s Addicks.
Goals: Dijksteel 40, Kennedy 45, 58, Hackett-Fairchild 51, 53.
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