Dean Bowditch sent fans home reliving a stunning goal for the second week running as Town's reserves beat Charlton 2-1 at Portman Road. After a goalless first half Alun Armstrong scored from the spot before Bowditch added a second with Charlton coming back late on through sub Barry Fuller.

Town started the brighter with Nabil Abidallah hitting a freekick just wide on 14. A minute later a fine Town move ended with Bowditch having a close-range effort excellently saved by Ben Roberts. Work down the right from Bloomfield sent Mitchell away and his low cross was flicked on by Armstrong to the young striker on the left of goal.

Just before the half hour the Addicks lost John Robinson, one of their more experienced players to injury. Aside form the Welshman they were fielding former Boro keeper Roberts, Graham Stuart and Chris Bart-Williams who lined-up at centre-half. Former Town star Hermann Hreidarsson was not included in their side despite speculation to the contrary.

Alun Armstrong wasn't far away from beating his old Teeside team-mate in the 32nd minute when Dean Bowditch was found inside the Charlton box by a poor clearance. The youngster was unable to get a shot in himself but teed up Armstrong whose first time strike hit Roberts' right post.

Not long after Bowditch and then Murray both went close, Murray's 25-yarder saved by Roberts who had a flamboyant half, turning Town attackers on several occasions and once bringing the ball forward towards the halfway line.

Just after half-time Murray again had a try from distance but the ball flew wide. James Pullen was forced into his first real save a minute later as Barry Fuller, on earlier for Robinson, shot from outside the area.

Matt Bloomfield was enjoying a fine game in midfield and came close to breaking the deadlock on 51, his shot from the edge of the area flying just wide with the keeper beaten.

Bart-Williams showed the flashy tendencies exhibited earlier by Roberts when he backheel-volleyed a Bloomfield cross out for a corner in the 54th minute with Bowditch about to pounce behind him.

Town seemed certain to go ahead soon and on the hour Alun Armstrong ought to have scored. Bloomfield was played in by Murray inside the area, one-on-one with Roberts. The midfielder's touch let him down and the keeper saved, the ball running out to Bowditch on the right. The striker's cross-shot was going well wide until Armstrong got a touch on it, but he sent the ball high into the North Stand.

Roberts required several minutes treatment after his save from Bloomfield but despite looking pained, remained on the field.

A rare Charlton attack saw both Fuller and Jamie Martin break clear of the Town defence. Martin eventually scuffed a shot goalwards but the again impressive Aidan Collins cleared to safety.

Bowditch received an undeserved yellow card from the otherwise unfussy referee, Mr Darren Deadman in the 71st minute. The striker had been caught offside and kicked the ball straight up in the air, it landing just by him. Presumably the card was for time wasting, if so the referee was concerned by merely a second or two. Soon after Daniel Flack replaced Antonio Murray.

The yellow card seemed to spur the previously under par Bowditch into action and in the 72nd minute he took the ball down the left and crossed low into Bloomfield. The England U19 international turned inside Graham Stuart, the ex-Everton man tripping him inside the box and right in front of the referee.

Bowditch chased after the ball only to be denied by Armstrong keen to beat his former Middlesbrough team-mate from the spot, Roberts diving to his right, the ball going to his left.

Armstrong may have scored the first goal but it would be Bowditch's second which would be far more memorable. The 16-year-old picked the ball up inside the Charlton half, brought it forward to the edge of the area before chipping Roberts, the ball going in off the underside of the bar. A totally different goal to last week's 25-yeard curler against the West Ham second string but a goal of equal quality.

With the game moving into the last ten minutes keeper Roberts was lucky to go unpenalised when he claimed a ball clearly outside the area with sub Flack closing in on him. Not long after both Town strikers made way with Craig Reid and Sam Morrow taking their places.

With nine minutes remaining the visitors got themselves back into the game, Fuller flicking a header past Pullen from a freekick taken on the right, just beyond halfway.

The final moments of normal time and the five minutes of injury time were a frantic period with Town effectively down to ten men, Boardley having picked up what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Late on Collins made an strong run forward and played a pass to Flack on the right, but his low cross was behind the Town strikers.

An impressive display from the young reserves against a Charlton side with one or two familiar names. Throughout the team there were impressive performances with Aidan Collins and Gerard Nash particularly catching the eye along with right-back Mitchell and, inevitably, Dean Bowditch.

Town: Pullen, Mitchell, Chaffey, Murray (Flack 71), Collins, Nash, Abidallah, Bloomfield, Armstrong (Reid 79), Bowditch (Morrow 79), Boardley.

Photo: Action Images

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