Town find themselves 4-0 down to League One Charlton at half-time in their final pre-season friendly at the Valley, Patrick Bauer, Tariqe Fosu and Josh Magennis (2) having netted the goals for the Addicks.

David McGoldrick and Bersant Celina joined Town’s list of absentees due to illness with Tom Adeyemi (ill), Emyr Huws (achilles), Teddy Bishop (groin) and Luke Hyam (ankle) also still unavailable.

Better news for manager Mick McCarthy was that Cole Skuse was back at the centre of midfield alongside youngster Flynn Downes with Andre Dozzell in the first-team squad and on the bench for the first time during pre-season after a hip injury sustained while helping the England U19s to win the European Championships. Former Blues striker Billy Clarke starts for the Addicks.

At a drizzly and virtually empty Valley, Town threatened in the opening minute. Grant Ward, who skipped into the area and hit a low shot which six-goal pre-season striker Joe Garner was almost able to turn past Charlton keeper Ben Amos as he grabbed low down.

On three, Danny Rowe cut in from the left but shot well over, then in the seventh minute Garner rose high to head wide from Ward’s cross following a corner on the right.

The Blues had had much the better of the opening minutes but in the 11th minute the home side went in front from their first attempt of the match.

Ricky Holmes sent over a freekick from the left - which had been a touch harshly awarded against skipper Luke Chambers - and Bauer glanced a header past Bartosz Bialkowski.

Following the goal, the Addicks enjoyed the greater share of the ball and in the 27th minute they added to their lead. Rowe’s poor pass into his own area on the left was seized on by Clarke, who teed-up the breaking Fosu and his low shot flew past Bialkowski and into the corner of the net.

Four minutes later, it was 3-0. Holmes crossed from the right and Magennis held of Jordan Spence and flicked a header across Bialkowski, who was only able to palm the ball into the net.

The home side continued to dominate as the rain continued to fall and in the 39th minute they added a fourth. Clarke beat Chambers on the left of the area before cutting back to Magennis, who shot low past Bialkowski.

Neither side seriously threatened again before the whistle with plenty of the small number of Town fans who had made the trip having long made their exit for a half-time pint.

The Blues had started the match positively enough but after the first goal the Addicks had dominated - scoring with each of their three subsequent attempts on goal - with Town unable to regain a foothold in the game.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Dasilva, Konsa, Bauer, Kashi, Fosu, Forster-Caskey, Magennis, Clarke, Holmes. Maynard-Brewer, Sarr, Dijksteel, Barnes, Jackson, Charles-Cook, Crofts, Watt, Ahearne-Grant.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers, Smith, Knudsen, Ward, Skuse, Downes, Rowe, Sears, Garner. Subs: Gerken, Iorfa, Kenlock, Webster, Bru, Dozzell, Nydam, McKendry, Folami, Patterson. Referee: Gavin Ward.

Photo: Action Images

DJpatrovers1 added 15:54 - Jul 29 Shambles. Back to square one
4

magnus68 added 15:54 - Jul 29 It isn't even worth the 1£ to watch this humiliating game :(
2

Battyboy added 15:54 - Jul 29 Lost for words in this team selection and inability to play football. Things need to change before next week.
2

miltonsnephew added 15:55 - Jul 29 Oh dear?!!!! 😞🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
2

flyingdutchman added 15:55 - Jul 29 oh dear oh dear mm out ill b first
5

Miles added 15:56 - Jul 29 Very poor. Hopefully this tells Mick who shouldn't be starting next week opposed to who should be. Kenlock and Webster in is probably the biggest thing.
3

im_marcacus added 15:57 - Jul 29 Effing awful football. We're making their wingers look like Ronaldo & Bale, while Charlton are making Danny Rowe look like Danny Rowe...
5

Battyboy added 15:58 - Jul 29 No more loan players, just put MM out on loan please and the entire Midfield.
3

blue added 15:59 - Jul 29 No PANIC its only half time WE CAN DO IT 4-5 So much up for stake its a friendly picknmix.
-1

pimballwizard added 16:00 - Jul 29 CLEGG OUT !!
1

warktheline added 16:00 - Jul 29 Under the ownership of Evans the club is sleepwalking deeper and deeper into the mire! McCarthy I'm afraid has long since lost his appetite and no longer has the passion or desire to succeed at Portman Rd! Sadly happy picking up his wages alongside many of his 'click'! A dead club walking!!!!
8

im_marcacus added 16:00 - Jul 29 Any suprise that Cole Skuse returns and our midfield suddenly looks like it ate double portions of apple crumble in the changing room?
5

bostonusablue added 16:00 - Jul 29 Skuse will still start next week. God help us all.
5

essextractorboy93 added 16:01 - Jul 29 This is absolutely disgraceful. The whole club seriously needs to look at themselves, completely embarrassing by those eleven players, nowhere near good enough. Awful
7

StowTractorBoy added 16:04 - Jul 29 A total shambles all over the pitch. Chambers liability and while back 5 look shaky. Midfield awful Downes apart. Nothing up front though they have had little service. Chambers off now for Webster. God help us next week
4

CavendishBlue added 16:05 - Jul 29 B~ggeryb0ll0ck$
1

blue added 16:10 - Jul 29 We only need 6 now
3

hollywoodginge added 16:13 - Jul 29 Woah hang on...preseason frindlies didn't matter a week ago, why do they now?
0

HALLSJ added 16:16 - Jul 29 What the fk is going on there, 0-4 HT nearly crashed the car
3

Blue_Moses added 16:17 - Jul 29 Hollywoodginge...one week before the season starts against lower league opposition with arguably our first team playing..?
4

Dissboyitfc added 16:20 - Jul 29 Hollywoodginge.... in the grand scheme of things friendlies do not matter. But this is the strongest team he feels he has to start, rather alarming i feel. Getting a good hiding to a lower league team does matter as a confidence builder for both players and fans alike!! Its not looking good is it!!!
5

pragmatic added 16:23 - Jul 29 Embarrassing plenty to work on this week if we have enough fit players that is !
0

martin587 added 16:23 - Jul 29 Well,I thought there would be some improvement from the Gillingham game,but this is dire.What the hell is going on at our club.MM said the team he selects today will be nearly the same for the Birmingham game.God help us. Another wasted journey.This is awful,it really is.Sorry to sound so dispondent so early.😱😱😱😱
6

ipswich4life added 16:26 - Jul 29 Think everyones forgetting marcus has a 5 point plan,everythings going to be ok.
2

algarvefan added 16:27 - Jul 29 Oh dear God, where is the pride and the fight, I wanted Mick gone at the end of last summer, not realising he would have the bloody nerve to be here for a new season after last season. I'm sorry but relegation beckons as long as Mick is still here.
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