Tawanda Chirewa, Zanda Siziba (pictured) and Harley Curtis were on target as Town’s U21s beat Charlton Athletic 3-1 at Dartford’s Princes Park this afternoon. John McGreal’s side created plenty of chances and might well have won by a larger margin.
The home side were the first to threaten in the second minute when Tolu Ladapo curled a shot not too far wide after the ball had fallen to him off Blues skipper Edwin Agbaje.
Town went straight up the other end and went close themselves, Zanda Siziba shooting wide from the left.
Siziba forced home keeper Ahmed Kone into his first save of the afternoon on four, Harley Curtis hooking rebound back from a tight angle but with no Town player in position to add the final touch.
On nine, Siziba cleverly threaded in Matt Ward on the right of the box but Kone was out quickly to block.
Eight minutes later, with the Blues having had the better of a bitty, stop-start early period, Tawanda Chirewa curled a shot not too far wide from outside the area.
A minute later, Cameron Humphreys played a ball over the top for Siziba, but keeper Kone was out quickly to claim. Moments later, Chirewa shot well wide on the turn.
Town kept up the pressure and in the 20th minute Chirewa was first crowded out, then hit a shot which was saved before Siziba’s subsequent effort was also stopped by Kone.
But following the resultant corner on the right, the Blues went in front. Albie Armin picked the ball up on the left and fed Chirewa, who took it across his man on the edge of the box before curling a shot past Kone.
Town had been well on top but in the 25th minute the Addicks levelled. Jason Adigun brought the ball forward into the area from midway inside the Blues’ half unchallenged and found the left corner of 16-year-old keeper Woody Williamson’s net via a deflection.
The Blues felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the 34th minute when Karoy Anderson looked to have tripped Ward, but the referee wasn’t interested and a subsequent shot was hit over the bar.
Two minutes later, Siziba curled an effort not too far wide from just outside the area following a Ward break down the right.
But Town didn’t have to wait too much longer for their second goal. Chirewa found Tommy Hughes in the area but his shot was blocked. The loose ball fell to Siziba but his first effort was again stopped by a defender, however, it fell to the forward, who worked himself space and lashed into the roof of the net.
Hughes wasn’t far away from adding the third in the 43rd minute, Kone saving his strike, then home skipper Lucas Ness turned Chirewa’s ball back in off his own post. From the corner, Harley Curtis flicked a header beyond the far post.
In injury time, Chirewa laid back to Hughes on the edge of the box and his shot was deflected wide.
From the corner, Agbaje’s header looped high and wide, the final action of an entertaining half with the Blues deserving their lead at the break, indeed they had had enough chances to have gone in further in front.
Charlton, who had swapped Euan Williams for Harvey Kedwell ahead of the restart, created the second half’s first danger, Anderson cutting the ball back from the right but behind his teammates in the area.
Six minutes after the restart, the Blues increased their lead when Curtis seized on Sahid Kamara’s poor back pass and confidently beat Kone.
On 54 Ladapo struck a deflected effort, which looped wide of Williamson’s left post, then the Blues keeper saved an effort from distance from Anderson. A minute later, the keeper did well to block on the right of the box.
Hughes shot low to Kone as the game moved towards the hour mark, then on 62 Chirewa shot over as he broke into the area on the left.
Ten minutes later, with the game having become a scruffier affair, Charlton sub Harris O’Connor shot across the face and wide.
On 78, Chirewa worked himself space before hitting a left-footed effort which was bending into the corner until Kone got across to palm it wide.
A minute later, Armin should have scored when he was found unmarked at the far post by a left-wing corner but the centre-half failed to make a decent contact on the ball.
In the 85th minute, Chirewa curled another shot wide from the right, then four minutes later Addicks sub Daniel Kanu hit a shot across goal which Williamson did well to save.
Centre-half Cameron Stewart was booked for a foul on Ladapo in injury time as the Blues saw out the final minutes.
Town always looked the more likely winners with Chirewa and Siziba always a danger up front and Humphreys again impressive in the centre of midfield before being withdrawn on the hour mark.
The Blues might well have won more comfortably given the number of chances they created over the course of the game.
Charlton: Kone, Mitchell, Kamara, Anderson, Ness (c), Toure, Reilly (Gavin 56), Adigun (O’Connor 56), Viggars (Kanu 16), Williams (Kedwell 46), Ladapo. Unused: Trialist.
Town: Williamson, Agbaje (c), Hudson, Humphreys (Alexander 62), Stewart, Armin, Ward (Cutbush 82), Hughes, Curtis (Buabo 62), Chirewa, Siziba (Nwabueze 70). Unused: Cullum.