Burnden Aces

Charlton Athletic 0-2 Bolton Wanderers

• October 28, 2023 | By Chris Mann
• Short URL: http://b-ac.es/bdfa6

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• Charlton Athletic, Dion Charles, League One, Match Reports, Randell Williams
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• See Also

• Post-Match: Evatt on Bolton's Win at Charlton Athletic

Randell Williams and Dion Charles struck in the first-half as Bolton won at Charlton Athletic for a third consecutive season - winning 2-0 at The Valley.

Wanderers, who have stormed into two-goal leads in each of their past two outings, took just 16 minutes to break the deadlock in the capital as Williams completed a well-worked corner routine by curling home from the edge of the area.

That advantage was doubled five minutes later when Charles pounced on a loose ball inside the box to lash beyond Ashley Maynard-Brewer and send the points back up to the North West.

Four days on from a first-ever victory at Wycombe Wanderers, Ian Evatt made two changes as Paris Maghoma and Will Forrester dropped to the substitutes' bench, with Williams and Aaron Morley in from the off in their place.

Both sides had spells inside the opposition final-third inside the opening three minutes, with Tyrese Campbell seeing a cross deflect behind for the hosts, moments before Josh Dacres-Cogley fizzed a ball beyond everybody in the middle at the end of a move also involving Victor Adeboyejo, George Thomason and Morley.

The first sight of goal arrived with 10 minutes played as Morley threaded Charles in on goal. Maynard-Brewer came racing off his line to beat the forward to the ball, before rising to his feet and making another timely interception to deny Dacres-Cogley.

Wanderers did take a lead from their next attack, though, as a well-worked corner routine ended with Thomason teeing up Williams, who curled a delightful effort into the far corner for 1-0.

It would be 2-0 just five minutes later as Dacres-Cogley's cross ricocheted off a defender, falling kindly into the path of Charles, who finished expertly with the outside of his right boot for a 10th goal of the season.

Charlton went in search of an immediate response and came close when Tennai Watson's low delivery had to be cleared by Eoin Toal, shortly before Nathan Baxter made his first save of the afternoon as the Addicks put pressure on the visiting defence with a couple of corners.

Maynard-Brewer kept the score at two with a save from Thomason on 38 minutes, while Baxter was called into action at the other end three minutes later as he cut out a cross from Tennai Watson.

Alfie May, who had been uncharacteristically quiet until the final minute of the half, curled wide just before the break, before superb defensive blocks from both Ricardo Almeida Santos and Toal ensured Evatt's side went in protecting a two-goal advantage.

Despite picking up wins in each of their last two games, Bolton had surrendered the majority of possession and chances in the second-half of both, and Charlton's efforts following the restart made it look as though a repeat was on the cards.

The Addicks came close within four minutes of play resuming as George Dobson's cross from the right was headed wide by Tennai Watson with the goal at his mercy.

Bolton then saw two appeals for penalties turned down by referee Geoff Eltringham as Santos and Dacres-Cogley found themselves in unfamiliar attacking positions, before May powered a drive straight at Baxter at the other end.

Adeboyejo and Charles combined to put the latter clean through on goal on the hour, but his first touch was a little too heavy and allowed Maynard-Brewer to come off his line to make the stop.

Panutche Camara shot over on 63 minutes after an unmarked May had provided the pass, moments before Wanderers came within inches of adding a third as Morley's cross from the right was just too far ahead of an advancing Adeboyejo.

The forward was withdrawn soon after that attack, with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson on in his place, and further chances would soon follow as Thomason and then Charles were replaced by Maghoma and Dan Nlundulu, respectively.

Williams should have put the game beyond doubt with five mintues left to play, first seeing a shot from the edge of the box roll just past the post, moments before a second opportunity was presented to him, with the wing-back this time clearing the crossbar after a cross from Santos.

Five minutes of added time failed to produce any further goalmouth action, and the final whistle went with supporters celebrating a rise up into 2nd-place in the League One table.

Spirits weren't to be dampened as the travelling faithful departed The Valley, despite Oxford netting a late equaliser against Wycombe Wanderers to see them nudge ahead of Bolton - who end the day in 3rd.

League competition takes a 10-day break, now, with the Whites' next outing coming in the Emirates FA Cup when they host non-league Solihull Moors in next weekend's first-round stage.

Charlton Athletic: Maynard-Brewer, T Watson, Hector, Jones, Thomas (Asiimwe 65), Fraser (L Watson 58), Dobson, Campbell, Pereira Camara (Leaburn 65), Blackett-Taylor, May
Subs Not Used: Walker, Ness, Kirk, Tedic
Booked: Jones

Bolton Wanderers: Baxter, Toal, Santos, Jones, Williams, Thomason (Maghoma 75), Morley, Dacres-Cogley, Sheehan, Adeboyejo (Bodvarsson 71), Charles (Nlundulu 78)
Subs Not Used: Hutchinson, Iredale, Forrester, Jerome
Booked: Baxter
Goals: Williams 16, Charles 21

Referee: Geoff Eltringham
Attendance: 14,343

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