Charlton 4 (Stockley 28, 34 pen, Purrington 45+2, Pearce 90+2) Southampton u-21 1 (Lancashire 75)

Say what you like about Papa John's Trophy - and most of us already have - but you won't hear a word against it in the SE7 area of London. Charlton's two best performances of a doleful season have been reserved for this much derided competition. Ask any of the doughty 689 (40) souls who braved an early harbinger of winter to watch them dismantle Southampton U-21s with a first half display of slick, fluent football. They'll testify that the ball zipped accurately from player to player with malicious intent as the visitors were outclassed before the break before withdrawing three goals down, grateful that their deficit was not considerably more daunting.

It's only fair to report that the visitors, no doubt on the end of a dressing room dressing down from manager David Horseman, dominated much of the second half, missing a penalty and briefly reducing their arrears, before their hosts finished them off with a fourth goal in added time. But this tie had already been decided by 45 stand-alone minutes of intensity and purpose, during which the Addicks blew them away.

A strong Charlton side, clearly fancying the job, tore from the blocks and created a flurry of chances in the early going. Sean Clare, one of several players with a point to make, shot narrowly wide, as did Ben Purrington following a sharp exchange of passes with Charlie Kirk. Skipper Jason Pearce sent a header from Albie Morgan's corner inches off target as the one-way traffic flowed towards Jack Bycroft's goal. A cluster of corners kept the pressure on but with almost a half hour played, Charlton needed a goal to put the seal on their superiority, a detail duly taken care of by Jayden Stockley's 28th minute breakthrough.

Morgan's partially cleared right wing corner was re-cycled by George Dobson to its taker, who crossed precisely for Purrington to head forcefully against the bar. A hectic scramble featuring blocked efforts by Purrington and Pearce was resolved by Stockley, who prodded the opener over the line through a thicket of prone bodies. Four minutes later, Stockley increased the lead from the penalty spot after Bycroft upended the combative Clare. His spotkick was struck with ferocious power and rebounded almost to his feet.

The young Saints were in danger of capsizing completely but Kirk let them off the hook by blazing well over the bar after the excellent Morgan's crunching tackle squirted the ball to his feet. They were not so lucky two minutes into added time when George Dobson worked a short corner with Morgan and crossed from the left to the far post, where Purrington nodded in the Addicks' third.

Purrington's goal completed an exhilarating first half, during which first-team fringe players such as Clare, Dobson, Kirk and Diallang Jaiyesimi reminded Nigel Adkins of their availability and ability. Nothing had been seen of the visitors as an attacking force until Ramello Mitchell cut into the penalty area from the left and was ruthlessly chopped down by Adam Matthews as he shaped to shoot. Caleb Watts hit the penalty firmly enough but, diving to his right, Nathan Harness saved brilliantly.

Had Watts scored, Southampton's eventual success 15 minutes from the end might have made the closing stages a bit tricker for Johnnie Jackson's men. But he didn't score and Olly Lancashire's 75th minute goal, which he nodded past Harness from Kami Doyle's centre was no more than a consolation. Even that was nullified by Pearce, who bundled in from all of twelve inches when Stockley headed another of Morgan's corners back across goal to him.

When Nigel Adkins names the starting XI to face Lincoln City, he will be facing an embarrassment of riches, if the evidence he gathered at The Valley on Tuesday evening can be taken seriously. There were sturdy contributions made by Clare and Dobson, more uneven performances from the unquestionably talented Kirk and Jaiyesimi, while Deji Elewere, despite his youth, made a convincing claim for inclusion with his precocious coolness. Meanwhile, the ability of Corey Blackett-Taylor, who relieved Kirk and tore Southampton's left-sided defence to tormented shreds, speaks for itself. Charlton have all the parts at hand; It's Adkins' task to form a settled whole from them. He could do worse than seek inspiration from this pleasing performance and the annihilation of Crawley Town in the same competition back on August 31st.

Never thought I'd say this but the Papa Doc Trophy is growing on me. Roll on the November 9th showdown with Leyton Orient. We must not allow our commitments in League One to distract us, not with Wembley in our sights.

Charlton: Harness, Matthews, Elewere, Pearce, Purrington, Clare (Dempsey 77), Kirk (Blackett-Taylor 75), Morgan, Dobson, Jaiyesimi (Clayden 61), Stockley. Not used: Beadle, Famewo, Bakrin, Burstow. Booked: Dobson, Clayden, Morgan, Pearce.

Southampton U-21: Bycroft, Smallbone (Ballard 46), Lancashire, Simeu, Olufunwa, Watts, Chauke, Mitchell, Payne, Otseh-Taiwo (Davey 82), Doyle. Not used: Wright, Smith, Burnett, Pambou. Booked: Simeu.

Referee David Rock. Att: 869 (40 visiting).

Gillingham 1 (Purrington o.g 56) Charlton 1 (Lee 18).

Owners of a one-goal lead (and good value for it) at half-time on a gorgeous Kentish evening, Charlton seemed on course to stop the recent rot of disappointing results at Priestfield. Masters of midfield, where the canny nous of Ben Watson combined with the ceaseless industry of Elliot
Lee to control the key exchanges, they also had, in Corey Blackett-Taylor, a force of nature in unstoppable mood on either flank.

A blend of pace, power and skill, Blackett-Taylor's treatment of left back Robbie McKenzie bordered on cruel and unusual punishment. He had already turned the defender inside out on the right wing before popping up on the other side to continue the process. McKenzie duly followed him but was beaten by the youngster's stop-start acceleration which brought him into the space he needed to find Lee with a hard low cross. A firm finish from Lee put the Addicks into a deserved 18th minute lead which they seemed more than capable of increasing.

Blackett-Taylor had already provided an inviting chance for Conor Washington to volley wide, then was off target himself when set up by Ben Purrington. Charlton were briefly rampant and should have doubled their lead when Lee's glorious pass sent Washington through; Jack Tucker's last ditch tackle snuffed out the danger but a second goal seemed inevitable. "It's just a shame we didn't score a few more goals in that important time," ruefully remarked Nigel Adkins, an understandable reaction if a trifle optimistic in regretting the lack of "a few more goals." Blimey, steady on there, Nige. Your chaps would have been grateful for even one more.

It's fair to say, though, that the Addicks had been as good in the first half here as they'd been embarrassingly bad during the same period at Adams Park three days previously. Their defence, organised by old soldier Jason Pearce and given muscle by Sam Lavelle, was sound while Albie Morgan responded to Lee's reassuring presence with his best performance so far this season. Up front, Josh Davison protected the ball, fought for his rights, and was a busy handful. It was the perfect half but it couldn't - and didn't - last.

The interval replacement of McKenzie by Danny Lloyd was inevitable while Steve Evans' introduction of Gerald Sithole for Charlie Kelman helped Gills to match up more effectively in the middle of the park. But it was the growing influence of skipper Kyle Dempsey which tipped the balance in Gillingham's favour. Carrying the fight into the Addicks' heartland, Dempsey demanded the ball and used it to devastating effect.

Adkins' Addicks had already survived a raucous -and possibly justified - penalty appeal for handball and a warning shot across their bows when Craig McGillivray saved smartly from Lloyd before they conceded just 11 minutes after the break. It was Dempsey who did the damage by working a short corner on the left, where Lee was unsupported, cutting into the penalty area and shooting powerfully against the far post. Purrington was an innocent victim in turning the rebound into his own net. With over a half hour left on the clock, the visitors were in sudden danger of capsizing. But they weren't entirely finished themselves. With cover doubled on him when in possession, Blackett-Taylor was quieter after the break but still had his moments. Bursting clear on the right, his firm, accurate cross was driven goalwards by Davison but saved magnificently by Cumming. The Chelsea loanee was even more impressive in making an instinctive one-handed stop to keep out Lavelle's close range volley. At the other end, meanwhile, Lloyd took aim from long distance and almost uprooted the left upright with a venomous drive.

A late post-script to an evenly fought clash was almost supplied by Jayden Stockley, who headed Alex Gilbey's outswinging corner narrowly over the bar but Charlton, by that time, were thankful for a point. It inched them above Crewe and Shrewsbury into 21st place in the League One table. Hardly cause for celebration but so much better than nothing. Because for the time being, the Addicks' priority must be to climb out of the division's relegation basement. Once that's accomplished, the sky's the limit -well mid-table anyway. One small step at a time and before you know it, you're looking up not down.

Gillingham: Cumming, Ehmer, Tucker, MacDonald, Dempsey, Kelman (Sithole 46), Lee, McKenzie (Lloyd 46), Adshead, Bennett (Tutonda 74), Oliver. Not used: Chapman, Reeves, Akinde, Akehurst. Booked: Ehmer, Lee.

Charlton: McGillivray, Matthews, Pearce, Lavelle, Purrington, Watson, Lee (Gilbey 74), Morgan, Blackett-Taylor, Washington (Leko 46), Davison (Stockley 80). Not used: Harness, Famewo, Kirk, Clare.

Referee: Keith Stroud.

Wycombe Wanderers 2 (McCleary 43,71) Charlton 2 (Lavelle 90+2).

Kevin Nolan reports from Adams Park.

It's five defeats in seven league games for Charlton after this craven surrender in leafy Buckinghamshire, where Wycombe Wanderers brushed them aside but came close to blowing a two-goal lead during five frantic added minutes.

Until Sam Lavelle powerfully headed home Elliott Lee's outswinging corner in the second of those minutes, the visitors had hardly bothered David Stockdale. The centre back's first goal for his new club, however, triggered mayhem around the startled goalkeeper, with substitute Josh Davison almost bundling an equaliser past him. Visiting supporters behind Stockdale's goal recognised Wycombe's mini-collapse. It's familiar viewing at The Valley.

Charlton's late flurry hardly wipes clean the memory of a performance which was beyond abject. Having deplored his side's descent into "hoof ball" during their recent humiliation by Cheltenham Town, Nigel Adkins was treated to more of the same at Adams Park, where Jayden Stockley toiled fruitlessly to make something of an endless supply of lofted balls and lusty clearances. To be honest, the Chairboys weren't a whole lot better but their own "hoof ball" had slightly more quality than Charlton's. And, more significantly, they had 34 year-old Garath McCleary in their line-up. More about him a little later.

With six changes from the Cheltenham fiasco and set out in 3-4-3 formation, Adkins' Addicks somehow survived until the 41st minute in a game which set uncharted levels of tedium, not to mention cluelessness. They were frankly awful, aimless, abysmal. In a more apposite word, they lacked gumption. A word or two, by the way, about "gumption" (gump-shun), "the ability to decide what is the best thing to do in a particular situation and to do it with energy and determination." Lovely word - gumption - solidly old-school and resolutely uncompromising. Says what it means and means what it says. Clearly it doesn't apply to Charlton right now so forget I mentioned it.

Not much happened, meanwhile, in a first half which featured one chance before McCleary stepped up to put Wanderers ahead. It was the veteran's pass to Daryl Horgan which led to that chance for Curtis Thompson, who drilled a low drive against the left post.

Posing frequent problems along the left flank in partnership with Jordan Obita, McCleary took matters into his own hands -or more accurately his right foot - with four minutes of a dire first half remaining. Cutting inside from left to right, his crisp drive left Craig McGillivray helpless on its way into the bottom right corner. It was a fine goal, totally out of context in its scruffy surroundings and scored by the game's best player.

So too was the home side's clincher on 71 minutes, a goal I'll try gamely to describe though the lay-out of Wycombe's quaint ground make it a daunting task. Let me explain that the dug-outs completely obscure at least a third of the playing pitch, as seen from the press box. I gather, however, that a Wycombe player crossed from the right, another Wycombe player headed back from the far post and McCleary popped up at the opposite post to nod home what turned out to be the winning goal. As near as I could tell.

The premature withdrawals of McCleary, Horgan and Sam Vokes were a relief to Charlton and hardly among popular Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth's shrewdest decisions. Even Charlton's almost moribund side sniffed half a chance, especially after the youthful exuberance of Corey Blackett-Taylor joined what was passing as the fray.

Abruptly right back Jack Grimmer's untroubled afternoon became a nightmare as Blackett-Taylor twisted him pretzel-shaped. Grimmer's cover was hastily increased as the uninhibited youngster made a series of purposeful runs and hard, low crosses, none of which, needless to say, was met with any enthusiasm by his colleagues. On an afternoon of almost unremitting frustration, Blackett-Taylor provided a solitary bright spot and should have booked a place in the side which faces Gillingham on Tuesday evening. That's a bit like being named as a late addition to Custer's men at Little Big Horn. No quarter asked. None given. It's every scalp for himself!

Wycombe: Stockdale, Grimmer, Jacobson, Stewart, Tafazolli, Thompson, Vokes (Akinfemwa 76), McCleary (Kaikai 81),
Horgan (Hanlan 84), Obita, Scowen. Not used: Przybek, Gape, Wheeler, McCarthy.

Charlton: McGillivray, Gunter, Dobson, Famewo, Pearce, Lavelle, Arter (Blackett-Taylor 58), Leko (Lee 58), Souare,
Stockley (Davison 84), Washington. Booked: Gunter, Famewo, Pearce, Lee, Souare.

Referee: Peter Wright.

Charlton 6 (Davison 5,90, Blackett-Taylor 18, Lee 22, Francombe o.g.49, Burstow 82), Crawley Town 1 (Appiah 75,pen).

A high octane blend of blistering pace, power and precision tore Crawley Town to pieces as a strong Charlton side made a freescoring start to their Papa John's Trophy campaign on Tuesday evening. The visitors were rabbits in the headlights as these buccaneering Addicks played in a spirit which might fairly be described as "joie de football." There wasn't an inhibition in sight by the time Josh Davison's second goal of the evening brought Crawley's suffering to a merciful end.

As a viable contest, the tie was settled by a quickfire salvo of three goals within 22 minutes of the start. The first was claimed by Davison, who finished confidently into the bottom left corner after bright approach play involving Charles Clayden and Corey Blackett-Taylor; the latter doubled the lead by dribbling into Town's penalty area, where he briefly lost, then regained, possession before planting a precise shot into the same corner favoured by Davison; watched by proud papa Robert, Elliot Lee made it three when he skilfully controlled George Dobson's crisp pass with his right foot, nutmegged a defender and stroked a low left-footed drive into that part of Blondy Nna Noukeu's net already identified as vulnerable by Davison and Blackett-Taylor.

Following a forgivable lull, Nigel Adkins' strong second stringers were back at Crawley's throats before the interval. A bundle of energy on the left wing, Clayden's precise cross laid on an inviting chance which Sean Clare headed inexplicably wide. The knock which necessitated Clare's second half withdrawal was the only blot on Nigel Adkins' evening, one which presented him with several selection dilemmas prior to Cheltenham Town's arrival at The Valley on September 11th. But with the Addicks insatiable, meanwhile, Clayden arrived on the end of Blackett-Taylor's right wing centre but, from six yards, smashed his shot against the bar.

The second half brought scant relief to John Yems' men. Just four minutes of the session had elapsed when Davison made ground on the right and fired a hard, low ball into the danger area, leaving Town skipper George Francomb helpless as the ball rocketed into the net off his knee.

Bewildered and outclassed, Crawley improved as the storm abated. Jack Powell's free kick rebounded off the bar following Jason Pearce's foul on substitute Kwesi Appiah before the veteran defender offended again by tripping Sam Ashford, this time inside the penalty area. Appiah's capable spotkick gave first team debutant Mathan Harness no chance.

If the visitors expected Appiah's goal to prove a turning point, they were to be cruelly disabused. Adkins' hungry team, each of them keen to impress him, promptly turned up the heat again. Their passing was positive and invariably received on the half-turn, its clear intent to go forward and hurt the opposition. Sporadic attempts to play out from the back were half-hearted, almost sheepish and thankfully abandoned The ball was moved quickly and crisply, with attack the clear watchword. It's accepted that Tuesday's opponents were of League Two standard but, then again, Charlton are themselves are only one division above them. You deal with what's in front of you.

Such a pleasing performance deserved its final flourish and Charlton duly delivered with two late strikes. Having replaced the outstanding Lee with eight minutes remaining, Mason Burstow marked his first team debut by cleverly adjusting his position to head home Clayden's measured cross. The talented kid's delight was shared by the entire squad, which he promptly repaid by laying on Davison's coup-de-grace in added time. His surge into Town's penalty area spreadeagled their rearguard and Davison's ruthless finish bookended Charlton's exhilarating exhibition.

Now it's over to Nigel to whittle down to eleven the side which will face Cheltenham next week. His task is unenviable and best left to him. Just one question, boss. Among a number of deserving cases, how do you leave out Elliott Lee?

Charlton: Harness, Barker, Elewere, Pearce, Roddy. Blackett-Taylor (Kirk 64), Dobson, Clare (Dempsey 64), Lee (Burstow 80), Clayden, Davison. Not used: McGillivray, Famewo, Morgan. Booked: Pearce.

Referee: Neil Hair. Att: 1404 (167 visiting).

Charlton u-18s 0 Wigan Athletic 2 (Fulton 6, Brown 74)

Kevin Nolan was at The Valley to see Charlton's young generation experience the agony of defeat.

Charlton's U-18s fought the good fight from whistle to whistle but were fairly and squarely beaten by a well-drilled Wigan side who had their number on an unpleasant evening masquerading as May when it more properly belonged in January. The visitors held a slight edge in nous and, more importantly, finishing. But Anthony Hayes' boys left nothing out on The Valley pitch and owe neither apology nor explanation.

A tough task became that much tougher when the visitors went ahead after just six minutes. The Addicks survived the original confusion caused by Sean McGurk's left wing corner thanks to James Beadle's brilliant save from Millen Brown. They were not so lucky in dealing with Chris Sze's delivery from the opposite flank as a scuffed clearance reached Jason Fulton near the penalty spot. One touch on the centre back's chest set up an unstoppable volley which left Beadle helpless. There were two fine young keepers in opposition in this keenly contested PDL2 final and Tom Watson matched Beadle's excellence with an outstanding response to Kai Garande's top-corner bound drive. Charlton's barnstorming left back had been played clear by Ryan Viggars and seemed momentarily to have beaten Watson until the plunging keeper's fingertips diverted his shot to safety.

Watson was in action again five minutes later when Viggars was sent through by Jeremy Santos, a restless thorn in Wigan's side, and succeeded in rounding the advancing keeper. With the narrowing angle limiting his options, Viggars's shot was resourcefully smothered by the retreating Watson. An end-to-end clash between these talented sides continued to throw up chances, with Brown guilty of missing the apparently unmissable before the interval. Kieran Lloyd combined with Tom Costello to set up the unmarked striker to finish from six yards. His shot, possibly deflected, instead hit the post. Brown should have scored - an error he duly rectified later on.

The hard grafting Viggars came close to equalising ten minutes into the second half. A breathtaking move cooked up by Aaron Henry's cheeky nutmeg and garnished by skipper Charlie Barker's extraordinary sleight-of-foot which bamboozled Marcus Snell, tore the visitors apart down the right. Barker quickly advanced and cut back for Viggars to finish from six yards. The big lad's hasty shot cleared the crossbar and the visitors had been spared again. They already had reason to thank Watson for saving smartly from Jason Adigun soon after the break. Santos probed and experimented ceaselessly -an old-school maverick who took risks and persistently chose the incisive pass over the careful cop-out. He ran into an occasional roadblock but was a pleasure to watch. So was Barker, who ran him close as Charlton's best performer and played with his heart on his sleeve. But then Hayes was not let down by any of his young charges. They gave him their best and brought out the best from Wigan. As the Addicks began to run out of attacking steam, it remained only for the confident visitors to apply the coup-de-grace. Sze could have lowered the boom but his athletic volley from close range sent Lloyd's precise cross spiralling over the bar. Instead it was Brown who provided the Latics with the two-goal margin they sought. More confusion from a corner - this one swung over by McGurk - was resolved by his crisp drive through a crowded six-yard box into the bottom right corner.

There was to be no coming back from this second blow and it was Wigan's captain, James Carragher, who led the wild celebrations at the final whistle - in-yer-face celebrations, it should be said, which initially ignored the anguish of their vanquished opponents until the magnificent Watson led a breakaway deputation of more gracious Latics to commiserate with a bristling Barker and his heartsore mates. Put it down to teenaged exuberance...

Charlton: Beadle, Barker, Bakrin (Asimwe 73), Elewere, Garande (Leaburn 85), Henry, Adigun (Mitchell 75) Santos, Campbell,

Burstow, Viggars. Not used: Whitling, Ladapo. Booked: Bakrin. Wigan: Watson, Lloyd, Snell, Carragher, Fulton, McHugh, McGurk, McGee, Costello, Sze (Pinnington 89), Brown (Welsh 90). Not used: Smith, Tickle, Brooks.

Att: 592.

Charlton u-18s 3 (Henry 9, Burstow 71, 90+3) Birmingham City u-18s 2 (Wakefield 84 pen, 89).

Kevin Nolan looked forward to a pressure-free afternoon at The Valley but ended up a basket case.

A madcap smash-and-grab finale to a rip-roaring semi-final saw Charlton qualify for the PDL2 final against Wigan Athletic - venue yet to be decided but hopefully at The Valley next Saturday May 22nd. The smash was provided by the visitors from the Second City, who stunned their hosts by wiping out a two-goal deficit with a devastating one-two in the 84th and 89th minutes to make it 2-2 going into five added minutes. But it was Charlton who grabbed a place in the final in the third of those minutes through as cool a piece of finishing as you are likely to see at any level, much less this tender category.

With the young Brummies flooding forward in search of the winner they clearly thought was inevitable, they were caught short-handed as the Addicks countered with lightning pace along the left flank. An error by right back Tom Fogarty added to their confusion and Jason Adigun's pass picked out Mason Burstow at the far post. Turning down a right-footed shot which Brad Mayo might well have blocked, the tall centre forward's clever turn inside deposited the outwitted goalkeeper on his backside before an ice-cold left-footed finish was carefully placed beyond two desperate defenders on the goalline. As a delirious pyramid of red shirts defied gravity near the left corner flag, the pitch was littered with prostrate Blues, their hearts broken and their illusions shattered. Bloody football! Unless, of course, you're on the right side of it.

The opening exchanges of an always entertaining clash were less breakneck but no less important to its exciting conclusion. Charlton came within centimetres of forging ahead when skipper Charlie Barker's gutsy header from Aaron Henry's inswinging corner was hacked off the line with no more than one revolution of the ball required to make it legal. Their bright start was soon rewarded when the side's heartbeat Henry accepted Tyreece Campbell's routine pass and tried his luck from 25 yards. His shot was powerful and on target but found the net with an inadvertent assist from Mayo, who allowed the ball to pass under him. It was a dream start for Anthony Hayes' kids and impressive keeper James Beadle made sure the lead stood up before the break with an outstanding save from Rico Patterson, City's bright young attacking spark. Patterson picked his way through a crowded penalty area to make space for what seemed a certain equaliser. His close range shot seemed an inevitable coup-de-grace but Beadle spread himself expertly and blocked bravely. Later on, he performed the same feat to deny Kieran Wakefield.

The well-schooled goalie was part of a hectic sequence of goalmouth scrambles which launched the second half. He made a couple of point blank saves and there were selfless blocks by several colleagues as the junior Blues swarmed all over them. Somehow the Addicks survived an endless siege (which probably lasted no more than a minute) and settled down to produce the perfect riposte of a second goal on 71 minutes. Hitting their increasingly reckless visitors on the break, a flowing move down the left flank was decorated by the deft final pass, delivered with the outside of Adigun's right boot, and an instinctive finish by Burstow into the far corner. At 2-0, it seemed reasonable to check the time and location of the final. This result seemed not only done but dusted. Except that these young City slickers weren't having it.

Charlton were beginning to wilt but looked likely to hang on until Leo Dos Reis carved out a shooting chance for Wakefield inside their penalty area. As the skipper prepared to pull the trigger, Nathan Asimwe's clumsy challenge took his legs from under him. Wakefield picked himself up and, after a nervous wait, buried the spotkick past Beadle. Five chaotic minutes later, City's No. 9 met George Hall's hard low cross from the left and slammed an emphatic equaliser past Beadle.

The dramatic late developments, including Burstow's matchwinning heroics, were missed by Lee Bowyer, who sidled out with the score still 2-0. You'd think he might have known better. After all, he was Charlton's manager when Birmingham's senior side caught up with the Addicks in added time and virtually sent them down from the Championship in 2020. Late finishes are par for the course when the Blues and the Reds collide. And this one finished right side up. Pity you missed it, Lee. Might have cheered you up no end.

The bad news for Anthony Hayes as prepares his youngsters for the final is that Jeremy Santos and Tyreece Campbell are unlikely to make the final. Both sustained painful injuries and were limping participants in the wild celebrations which greeted the final whistle. But Zach Mitchell, who replaced Santos, was outstanding and Joseph Ladapo, an 86th minute substitute for Campbell, is a frequent starter in his own right. Beadle impressed, Barker looked like a veteran in this company while Henry -what's to say about the all-round excellence of this mature operator? Except to predict that he will be in Nigel Adkin's first team mix next season. That might be a little soon for Adigun and Burstow but they will be heard from eventually, as will cool centre backs Nazir Bakrin and Deji Elewere. The kids are alright at Charlton. They'll be worth waiting for...but first, that final.

Charlton: Beadle, Barker, Bakrin, Elewere, Garande (Asimwe 45), Henry, Adigun, Santos (Mitchell 46), Campbell (Ladapo 86),
Burstow, Viggars. Not used: Whitling, Leaburn. Booked: Barker, Adigun.

Birmingham: Mayo, Fogarty, Barratt (Dos Reis), Oakley, Browne, Sullivan, Bellingham, Hall, Wakefield, James, Patterson.
Not used: Brodus, Manton, Khela, Nguepissi,. Booked: Sullivan.