Charlton U23s claimed a crucial three points in the fight for Premier League Cup Group A supremacy, beating Colchester 1-0 at the Jobserve Community Stadium.
Kareem Isiaka’s second-half header proved to be the decisive moment in the match and moved the Addicks into second.
Simple and Deadly
After a 2-2 draw with Millwall on Monday, branded a “disappointing” result by U23s’ coach Hamza Serrar, the gameplan approaching Thursday’s clash was simple and deadly.
“Going into the Colchester game, our plan was to keep a clean sheet and create chances and finish them,” Serrar said.
“We did create chances and should have scored more, we had the clean sheet, but we were very dominant in the game so we came out deserved winners.”
Survival
However, despite a dominant opening 45 minutes, the Addicks failed to find the net and went into the break goalless with their hosts content to sit back in survival mode.
Isiaka first drew an early save from Callum Coulter before Luca Vega followed with a swirling drive that the Colchester ‘keeper just kept out.
From the outset, a pattern of Addicks dominance emerged that simply would not yield a goal.
Charles Clayden was next to go close with a pair of chances, initially firing wide after cutting inside to beat his man before a flash of deja-vu saw the winger do the same moments later, only to see his second effort deflected just wide.
Despite barely seeing the action cross to his side of the pitch, Ashley Maynard-Brewer was forced to stay alert in order to palm away a headed effort following a rare Colchester foray forward.
Addicks Find Breakthrough
45 minutes of attacking energy and graft saw nothing separate the sides at the break, but it took all of four second-half minutes for the Addicks to finally make their dominance count.
Clayden, traditionally a left-winger, operating on the right flank, tore past his marker before drilling an inch-perfect delivery to Isiaka who made no mistake with his headed finish.
The goal, a seamless display of vibrant incisive passing, went from defence to attack in the blink of an eye, culminating in the priceless lead and a stamp of approval from Serrar.
“Despite creating so many chances, so many easy chances, we finished 0-0 at half-time, and then in the second half we kept our dominance and Charles Clayden, managed to go past players down the right-wing and he put a lovely cross back-post for Kareem Isiaka who headed home.
“It was a very good goal considering that Charles is a left-footed player who crossed it with his right foot, with detail, that was pleasing to see from him. And the finish was very good as well with a back-post header into the goal.
“The movement for the finish was good,” the coach said.
Another Charlton Clean Sheet
Armed with the lead and brimming with confidence the Addicks put in an assured display for the closing stages of the match, earning a second clean sheet of the season, while still creating chances of their own as Clayden came close with a curling effort that floated just over the bar.
Jason Euell’s side will now travel to the Madejski Stadium on November 28 to face the group leaders Reading with the chance to go top of Group A with a victory.
