TOWN 3 CHARLTON 2
Town come from behind to progress
Mark Robins’ men showed plenty of character to earn their passage into the third round of the Capital One Cup after staging a second-half comeback to see off Charlton Athletic.
Joel Lynch cancelled out Dale Stephens’ opener to send the teams in level at half-time before Marvin Sordell restored the Addicks’ lead on the hour mark.
Jonathan Hogg didn’t know too much about his first Town goal, but it was enough to draw Town level before Adam Hammill scored his second goal in a week to secure the Terriers’ passage.
Mark Robins opted for continuity over change for the visit of Chris Powell’s men and named the same starting XI that beat Bournemouth so comprehensively on the weekend.
Town looked to be suffering with a hangover, though, and were extremely fortunate not to go behind during the opening exchanges.
In the third minute Charlton debutant Joe Pigott sped past Anthony Gerrard and squared for Lawrie Wilson who saw his shot from the angle expertly blocked by Joel Lynch.
Wilson then forced Alex Smithies into a low save with Peter Clarke blocking the rebound as Charlton’s bright start continued.
Town did manage one venture forward with James Vaughan shooting wide, but the Addicks were quickly back on the attack with central defender Michael Morison going close twice in two minutes.
Vaughan sliced wide on 20 minutes as Town enjoyed a foray on goal, but it was short lived, as was their parity on the score line. Charlton had deserved to go ahead, but the goal did come in slightly fortuitous style. Dale Stephens fired a low free-kick from the edge of the box into Town’s two-man wall, which diverted the ball through a crowded penalty box and into the far corner of Smithies’ goal.
The Addicks’ had bossed the entire half, but an error from ‘keeper Ben Hamer meant that the sides went in at the interval level. You could maybe let the ‘keeper off for not expecting Joel Lynch to try and score from 25 yards out, but he should have done better at his near post as the defenders shot slid underneath him and nestled in his net.
Chances were exchanged during the opening ten minutes of the second 45 with Hammill and Clayton going close for Town, while Pigott forced Smithies into a smart save from the angle.
It was the away team who went back in front, though, and it was the impressive Pigott who had a big hand in the goal. The youngster cutely headed back to strike partner Sordell from the by-line and he expertly swept the ball home into the far corner of Smithies’ goal.
Robins turned to Sean Scannell and Jonathan Stead in attempt to draw level, but it was two men who had started the match that did the business for Town. Like Charlton’s first, the goal had a touch of fortune about it. Oliver Norwood’s 25 yard volley was heading goal bound, but took a wicked deflection off Jonathan Hogg to wrong foot Hamer and earn the former Watford man his first goal in blue and white.
The comeback was complete for the Terriers eight minutes from time when Hammill latched onto a loose ball and fired past Hamer. The build-up ahead of the goal was arguably Town’s best passing move of the game with Hogg finding Stead who released Scannell. The winger crossed for Vaughan who was challenged well by Morison, but the loose ball fell kindly for Hammill, who did the rest!
Vaughan could have added a fourth, but by that point Charlton’s challenge had died as the Terriers progressed to third round.
Town’s team (3-5-2):
Alex Smithies; Joel Lynch, Anthony Gerrard, Peter Clarke (c); Jake Carroll (Jack Hunt, 55), Adam Clayton (Jon Stead, 70), Jonathan Hogg, Oliver Norwood; Adam Hammill; Martin Paterson (Sean Scannell, 46), James Vaughan
Unused substitutes:
Ian Bennett, Oscar Gobern, Danny Ward, Murray Wallace
Bookings Town: Adam Hammill 36, Joel Lynch 89
Bookings Charlton: Marvin Sordell 49,
Gate: 6,250
Away: 159
