Charlton returned to winning ways under the watchful eye of His Excellency Tahnoon Nimer with a 2-1 win at home to Barnsley.
With the majority shareholder in attendance at The Valley for the first time Lyle Taylor and Andre Green scored first half goals before a Cauley Woodrow strike ensured a nervy finish.
The win makes it five games unbeaten for Charlton at The Valley and more importantly moves the Addicks up to 19th in the Sky Bet Championship
Lee Bowyer made four changes from his side’s impressive draw against Fulham last time out. Naby Sarr, Jonny Williams, Taylor and Green returned to the starting lineup as Charlton began in 3-5-2 formation.
After a slow start the Addicks took the lead in the ninth minute with a well-worked free kick from just inside the opposition half. Jason Pearce jumped highest from the chipped ball and nodded into the path of Taylor who made no mistake beating everyone to the ball to prod past Samuel Sahin-Radlinger in the Barnsley goal.
The Tykes struggled to create much in a comfortable first half for the Addicks but Dillon Phillips did have to pull off an incredible save to deny Mads Andersen from equalizing in the 21st minute. The academy graduate made quick ground across goal and clawed away Andersen’s powerful header which had looked destined for the bottom corner.
Barnsley could and maybe should have had centre half Michael Sollbauer sent off in the first half. The January signing struggled to deal with Taylor throughout and after a 22nd minute booking fouled the Addicks striker twice in quick succession which had the home faithful calling for his dismissal.
It was 2-0 deep into first half stoppage time and again the goal came from a set piece. An Aflie Doughty corner from the right made it back to the left footer who swung the ball into the back post. Again Pearce was first to it with his knock down picking out Sarr. The defender wasn’t able to control but the ball fell to Green who drove a first-time shot low into the bottom corner of the Barnsley goal.
Charlton began the second half with the same threat level and against challenged from a set piece when Darren Pratley saw a dangerous header from an Addicks’ corner cleared away by Tykes.
The visitors began to come into the game as the second half wore on and saw a long range effort bounce back off Phillips and into the path of Woodrow. The former Fulham man struck his effort from the edge of the area off the crossbar.
At the other end Josh Cullen put a difficult header on the run wide after some industrious work down the right flank by Green.
Woodrow pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 71st minute when he calmly put away a swift Barnsley counter attack.
The visitors used the momentum and saw the ball hit the bar again and then cleared of the line as the Addicks entered a nervy last 15 minutes.
Charlton were bravely able to see the game out for an important three points.
Charlton: Phillips; Lockyer, Pearce (C), Sarr; Matthews; Cullen, Williams (Forster-Caskey 57), Pratley, Doughty (Purrington 90); Green, Taylor (Hemed 68)
Subs (not used): Amos, Field, McGeady, Oztumer
Goals: Taylor 9, Green 45+3
Booked: Lockyer 33 (foul on Thomas)
Barnsley: Sahin-Radlinger, Williams (Simoes 69), Andersen, Brown, Woodrow, Chaplin (Schmidt 86), Thomas, Sollbauer, Odour (Ludewig 69), Halme, Mowatt (C)
Subs (not used): Walton, Williams, Dougal, Styles
Goal: Woodrow 71
Booked: Sollbauer 22 (foul on Taylor), Andersen 41 (foul on Taylor), Chaplin 61 (dissent), Williams 62 (foul on Doughty), Simoes 90+6 (dissent)
Referee: J Brooks
Attendance: 19,870 (1,083 from Barnsley)