Charlton 4 (Church 18,57, Green 48, Pigott 90 pen) Oxford United 0.
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
Quite apart from the novelty of reaching the second round of the League Cup, Chris Powell had at least ten other reasons to be cheerful on Tuesdayevening. His second string X1, completely overhauled, with the exception of keeper Ben Hamer, from the side which lost at Bournemouth three days earlier, made easy work of demolishing League Two visitors Oxford United. There appears to be satisfying depth to his squad, not to mention healthy competition for first team selection. Those are problems welcomed by any manager.
Winners of the League Cup in 1986 and buoyed by their 4-1 victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday, Oxford United pulled into town, confident of becoming the latest lower tier team to embarrass Charlton in knockout football. Their 771 travelling fans clearly fancied their chances and were bullish in letting us know how they felt. Before the end, however, they were ruthlessly put in their place and, in many cases, were suspected of “sneaking out.”
Among the various successes in the new red shirt, none was more impressive than 19 year-old debutant Joe Pigott. A centre forward rooted in an old tradition, the well-built kid takes his lumps, retains possession skilfully and brings supporting teammates into play. He can give and take pressure while working unselfishly for his team. Pigott was responsible for two of the best passes this entertaining game had to offer, the first of which laid on what should have been a hat-trick goal for strike partner Simon Church, the second a wonderfully reversed delivery to lay on a late chance for Marvin Sordell.
Along with highly regarded Sordell, Church is expected to augment Yann Kermorgant’s contribution to Charlton’s scoring column. He duly got off the mark with two opportunistic efforts, both of them resulting from his sharp reactions to fortunate ricochets.
Just past the quarter hour mark, Church was conveniently positioned as Pigott’s hastily contrived shot rebounded to him. With United’s defence hopelessly wrongfooted, the predatory forward took a touch before whipping a crisp drive across Ryan Clarke into the far left corner.
United’s best first half moment was provided by Australian midfielder Ryan Williams. The loan signing from Fulham combined at express speed with Johnny Mullins, reached the right byline but bundled his short cross against a rapidly retreating Leon Cort. It’s a rainy day for Aussies right now, bless ’em, and Williams ended up as moist as the cricketers.
Three minutes after the interval, the tie was all but settled by Danny Green, Standing over the 25-yard free kick awarded for Asa Hall’s foul on Church, the setpiece specialist sized up the possibilities, liked what he saw and drilled a low effort into the net through the congestion zone. A faint touch on the way might have helped.
Almost immediately, the first of Pigott’s telling passes, following devastating interplay with Jordan Cook, set up Church to tap in a third. His squared delivery left the new arrival the simple task of finishing from close range but was instead screwed haplessly wide.
Like all good strikers, Church didn’t brood over the miss. Again unmarked as Cedric Evina’s miscued shot arrived at his feet, he turned sharply to beat Clarke with a low, left-footed crosshot. On this evidence, Powell has himself an accomplished “goalhanger”, as we called them, with some bitterness, at school years ago.
The wholehearted Cort, meanwhile, snuffed out the U’s’ substitute Alfie Potter as the speedster shaped to finish a superb solo run but Chris Wilder’s men were otherwise being comfortably handled. In added time, Pigott completed their annihilation.
Fellow academy debutant Jordan Cousins had belatedly replaced stylish Dale Stephens and brought his own elegance with him. His close dribbling skill proved too much for Danny Rose, who wearily brought him down in the penalty area. With Powell apparently having forgotten to name his penalty taker, Pigott persuaded Green and Sordell that the responsibility for converting the inevitable spotkick was best left to him. No mistake was made from 12 yards and the youngster has the first of what promises to be a healthy total of senior goals. There were no hard feelings from his strongarmed colleagues.
For Powell, there was considerable relief in discovering, following the Bournemouth defeat, that his squad has depth and quality. Not one of his ten outfield replacements let him down. Each of them made genuine cases for first team selection, none more so than the excellent Cort, a resurgent Danny Hollands and creative wide men Green and Cook. The result also presented the boss with an unusual experience. It’s not often he retains any interest in the Leaue Cup after the first round. Tomorrow (Thursday) he will actually hear Charlton’s name read out in the second round draw. Who knows, he might even recognise it.
Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.
Charlton: Hamer, Wilson, Wood, Cort, Evina, Green, Stephens (Cousins 88), Hollands, Cook (Harriott 81), Church (Sordell 77), Pigott. Not used: Pope, Dervite, Kermorgant, Jordan.
Oxford: Clarke, Mullins, Wright, Hunt, Newey, Williams (Rigg 76), Whing, Hall (Potter 65), Rose, O’Dowda, Constable (Smalley 65). Not used: Crocombe, Raynes, Davies, Ruffels.
Referee: A. Davies. Att: 4,935.