Stockley opens scoring as Addicks beat Saints kids 4-1

by Alessandro Schiavone at The Valley

Charlton 4 v Southampton under-21 1

Charlton Athletic cruised to an easy 4-1 victory over Southampton’s Under-21s in the Papa John’s Trophy.

It was one-way traffic from the start with Charlton clearly in control, but it took the Addicks 28 minutes to break the deadlock.

Manager Nigel Adkins’ side were aiming to lay down an early marker but missed chance after chance.

In the 28th minute Jayden Stockley gave Charlton a deserved lead with the easiest of finishes when he slotted home after Ben Purrington crashed his header against the crossbar and the first follow-up was blocked.

The former Leyton Orient striker then added to his tally by converting a venomous penalty down the middle six minutes later.

Ben Purrington sealed the win for the South East Londoners in injury-time after guiding home a free header inside the six-yard area.

Southampton reduced the deficit thanks to a 75th-minute glancing header by centre-back Olly Lancashire and Dominic Ballard could have set up a grandstand finish had he managed to lift the ball over the onrushing Harness in Charlton’s goal with less than ten minutes to go.

But it was Charlton who completed their 4-1 rout when Jason Pearce turned home Stockley’s flick-on at the far-post.

In the early exchanges of the game, Charlton were as ineffective in the final third as they became clinical once they finally got off the mark.

That goal, that all-important first strike sent the League One outfit on their way to a comfortable win. But Nigel Adkins’ men had to bide their time and it took them almost half-an-hour to break Southampton’s resistance.

After three minutes Sean Clare blasted his shot wide from the edge of the box before Jayden Stockley’s flicked header completely missed the target.

And their missed chance count continued to rise when Purrington’s angled shot fizzed just wide of Jack Bycroft’s goal before Pearce planted a bullet header off target following a corner.

Their profligacy in front of goal didn’t deflate the hosts, who were up and running when Stockley capitalised on some sloppy Southampton defending to stroke home the follow-up with a sucker punch goal after Ben Purrington’s header had rattled the crossbar and a second, tentative effort was blocked in the six-yard box.

With the hardest part was done, it was clear that Southampton’s ordeal was about to begin.

Five minutes later the hapless Bycroft brought down Clare in the box and Stockley completed his brace byhe nonchalantly dispatching the resulting penalty.

On the stroke of half-time Purrington’s free textbook header from George Dobson’s inch-perfect cross settled the contest.

Southampton’s young kids came out with more intent and sharpness after the interval. Chauke dragged a shot wide from distance before Addicks goalkeeper Nathan Harness guessed correctly to thwart Watts’ penalty and deny the underwhelming South Coast side an undeserved route back into the game.

On the hour-mark Stockley nearly turned provider when he picked out Clare at the far post but the 25-year old scuffed his shot.

Then the two-goal hero spurned a golden opportunity for a hat-trick when as he headed straight at the goalkeeper from close range. Purrington was then denied a rare double when he slammed his header against the woodwork .

In stoppage-time skipper Pearce turned home Stockley’s flick-on at the back post to make it two wins out of two in this competition following their victory over Crawley Town in late August.

Charlton Athletic

31 Harness- 3 Purrington- 4 Dobson-6 Pearce- 7 Jayesimi- 9 Stockley- 10 - 16 Matthews- 20 Kirk- 28 Clare- 50 Elerewe

Southampton Under 21

51 Bycroft- 20 Smallboone- 36 Lancashire- 38 Simeu- 42 Olufunwa- 46 Watts- 48 Chauke- 49 Mitchell- 56 Otseh-Taiwo- 61Payne- 65 Doyle