A Conor Chaplin brace has given the Blues a 2-0 half-time lead over Charlton Athletic at Portman Road .

Nathan Broadhead returned to the Town XI having missed the trip to Whaddon Road with an ankle problem, replacing Marcus Harness, who dropped to the bench.

Charlton were unchanged from their 3-2 home victory over Burton on Monday with former Blues loanee Macauley Bonne and ex-Town midfielder Scott Fraser both starting.

Town started on the front foot and won three corners within the first minute and a half, the Addicks eventually clearing.

In the third minute, with the 29,000-plus home crowd in full voice, the Blues claimed a penalty for handball after Broadhead tricked his way into the area and looked to find George Hirst and hit the grounded Michael Hector, but replacement referee Sam Barrott waved away the protests.

Town maintained their excellent start and in the fifth minute, top scorer Chaplin wasn’t far away from his 23rd goal of the season.

The former Portsmouth man evaded the offside trap and flicked a backwards header from skipper Sam Morsy’s cross not too far wide of the post.

But Chaplin didn’t have to wait too much longer to hit that milestone and claim his 20th League One goal of the campaign.

Leif Davis played the ball in to the forward on the edge of the area beyond a defender and Chaplin took it into the area, across Terell Thomas and shot left-footed low to keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s left and into the corner of the net.

As well as Chaplin’s 23rd goal of the season in all competitions and the 20th in the league, was Town’s 100th of the season in competitions.

Seven minutes later, Chaplin scored his second of the afternoon and his 24th of the campaign, his 21st in the league.

Broadhead chipped a brilliant ball over a defender, sending his fellow number 10 through on goal and Chaplin finished with his now familiar confidence.

Town continued to dominate, Broadhead hitting a shot against a defender from the edge of the box on 23.

A minute later, Hirst’s pass from the left of the box found Chaplin six yards out but the ball was just poked away from him as his first Blues hat-trick briefly looked on.

Charlton, who hadn’t been in the game at all from an attacking perspective, threatened for the first time in the 27th minute, Fraser crossing and Bonne heading towards goal but too close to Christian Walton, who saved to his right.

There was controversy moments later as the Addicks continued playing with Chaplin down after what had looked a foul in the Charlton half. Town appeared to have cleared but Hirst gifted the ball back to the visitors and Fraser curled a shot wide, captain Morsy subsequently making his thoughts known to both the Town striker and the referee.

But it was still mainly Town and in the 26th minute Broadhead found Burns on the right from where he sent over a low cross towards Hirst, who just wasn’t able to get enough on his flick and the ball scraped wide. News that Sheffield Wednesday were losing 3-1 at Burton led to chants that “the Town are going up!”.

On 38, Broadhead played a similar pass to the one which led to the second goal on the right of the area for Chaplin, who cut across to Hirst, whose effort was blocked. The ball momentarily looked to be running loose but Charlton were able to clear their lines.

Just ahead of the fourth official indicating two additional minutes, Davis cut a free-kick from the left to Chaplin on the penalty spot but his low shot was blocked when otherwise on its way into the corner of the net.

Moments later, Hirst tried to battle his way into the area through a number of tackles but was eventually thwarted, the loose ball falling to Chaplin, whose effort was cut out.

Just before the whistle, Luke Woolfenden was booked for handling as a ball was played through the middle midway inside the Town half. Albie Morgan smashed the set piece well over.

Town were applauded off at the break having been well worth their two-goal lead after making a lightning start and might well have gone in further in front having been much the better side throughout the half.

Chaplin once again showed his brilliant finishing and supreme confidence in front of goal, becoming the first Town player since Daryl Murphy in 2014/15 to score 20 league goals in a season.

Charlton had shown very little and the Blues ought to be able to see the second half out to claim a vital three points and their sixth home win in a row.

Town: Walton, Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Morsy (c), Luongo, Davis, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst. Subs: Hladky, Donacien, Ball, Edwards, Harness, Jackson, Ladapo.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Thomas, Dobson (c), Hector, Bonne, Morgan, Rak-Sakyi, Egbo, Fraser, Inniss, Campbell. Subs: Wollacott, Sessegnon, Kilkenny, Kane, Henry, Leaburn, Kanu. Referee: Sam Barrott (West Riding).

Photo: Matchday Images

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