The Addicks fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Portsmouth on Tuesday evening in a match that had been rearranged following the weekend's postponement.
Michael Jacobs gave the visitors the lead six minutes before half-time, but that was cancelled out early in the second half by a Jayden Stockley header. However, just three minutes later Pompey captain Tom Naylor restored the lead before Andy Cannon made it 3-1 on the hour mark.
In the early stages, it was Charlton controlling possession as they searched for the opening, playing some lovely one-touch football.
The first real chance of the game came to the hosts and it was birthday boy Albie Morgan who struck the bar just nine minutes in. A cross-field diagonal ball from Adam Matthews found Stockley’s chest, whose touch down set Morgan for a left footed volley on the left-hand side of the visitor’s box. The midfielders strike had plenty of dip on it and just clipped the bar on the way over.
Portsmouth grew into the game and were looking dangerous on the break as an attack saw Ellis Harrison play through John Marquis on the right-hand side, but the striker could only fire his shot over the bar.
Pompey’s best chance of the half fell to Marquis again. A great ball from the left-hand side picked out the number 9, who had beaten the offside trap to get in behind the defence. However, Ben Amos did well to make himself big in the Charlton net and deny the striker.
Late in the half saw several half chances for both teams Firstly, Morgan fired over the bar with a left footed strike from the edge of the area before Portsmouth’s Charlie Daniels tested Amos with a free-kick.
On 35 minutes Marquis had a shot deflected behind for a corner. The resulting corner saw the visitors take the lead through Jacobs. The corner was punched clear by Amos but fell to Andy Cannon, who gave the ball to Naylor on the edge of the box. Naylor delivered a ball into the Charlton area which was met by Jacobs to fire a half volley into the top left-hand corner and give the visitors the lead going into halftime.
The Addicks came out firing in the second half and should have been awarded a penalty on the 50th minute. Substitute Ben Watson appeared to be pulled down in the box, having made a run for a free-kick but the referee waved away the protests.
A minute later and Charlton found themselves level through Stockley. The striker powered in an in-swinging corner from Andrew Shinnie, meeting the ball with his head to find the top right-hand corner with a powerful header.
Just moments later, the visitors had a chance as Amos denied Harrison with a fabulous reaction save.
Despite Amos’ heroics, he could not prevent Portsmouth from taking the lead for the second time. A free-kick from Charlie Daniels found Naylor at the far post, who headed past the Charlton stopper from six yards out.
Portsmouth doubled their lead on the hour, taking advantage of an error from Watson. The midfielder failed to clear his lines on the edge of the Addicks box, gifting Cannon the ball to curl in off the post.
The introduction of Chuks Aneke and Liam Miller later in the half caused the Portsmouth defenders some trouble, but the Addicks could not carve out a real chance as they fell to defeat at the hands of Kenny Jackett’s men.
Charlton: Amos; Matthews, Gunter, Oshilaja, Maatsen; Morgan (Millar 45), Forster-Caskey, Pratley (Watson 45), Shinnie (Smith 77); Stockley, Schwartz (Aneke 61)
Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Pearce, Purrington.
Goals: Stockley 52
Booked: Oshilaja 18 (foul), Pratley 32 (foul), Maatsen 54 (foul), Watson 81 (foul).
Portsmouth: MacGillivray; Johnson, Daniels, Raggett, Bolton; Jacobs (White 90+5), Cannon, Naylor, Williams (Harness 52); Harrison, Marquis (Byers 87)
Subs (not used): Ward, Brown, Curtis, White, Mnoga.
Goals: Jacobs (39), Naylor (55), Cannon (61)
Booked: Harrison 2 (foul on Gunter), Naylor 90+3 foul.