Tough test for U21s in latest game.
The U's U21s have lost 3-0 against Charlton Athletic in their latest league game.
A first half goal from Karlan Aherne-Grant put the visitors ahead, before two goals after the break from Joe Piggott made it 3-0.
John McGreal's young U's battled hard but were second best against a strong Addicks' side.
A first half goal from Karlan Aherne-Grant put the visitors ahead, before two goals after the break from Joe Piggott made it 3-0.
John McGreal's young U's battled hard but were second best against a strong Addicks' side.
The game started with both teams feeling their way in but it was the visitors who looked the most threatening.
James Bransgrove was called into action in the eighth minute, palming out a low cross from the right before the ball was cleared.
Another cross a minute later should have been converted but Munns dragged his shot wide from eight yards out.
Charlton continued to press and Bransgrove did well to fingertip a long range shot just wide of the post.
From the resultant corner, a header at the far post was pushed away by the U’s keeper.
Munns then shot over from distance before the U’s got their first shot away, with Macauley Bonne’s effort blocked before it could trouble Phillips in the Charlton goal.
Ten minutes from half time and the U’s almost got a goal as Dion Sembie-Ferris dispossessed Muldoon but shot wide from an acute angle with just the keeper to beat.
Play quickly moved to the other end and Joe Piggott, who was causing problems for the U’s defence, turned well but his shot was deflected wide.
From the ensuing set piece, Piggott had a shot saved but the rebound fell to Aherne-Grant, who looked suspiciously offside as he tapped in to open the scoring.
That was the last action in the first half and it was probably apt that the visitors led by a goal after dominating proceedings.
And they started the second half as they finished the first, on the front foot and putting the U’s under pressure.
Munn shot wide after less than a minute but the reprieve for the U’s was short lived as the visitors added a second goal on forty seven minutes.
A flowing move from left to right and back ended with Piggott taking an assured touch before clipping his shot past Bransgrove and into the far corner.
Sammie Szmodics was working hard to get the U’s back in the game but he was denied by Phillips in the Charlton goal.
Szmodics then lost possession in midfield, with fellow midfielder Byron Lawrence saving his blushes with a goalline clearance.
As Charlton ramped up the pressure, Ollie Muldoon was having a real influence on things, and he was close on two occasions in quick succession.
First, his shot from distance was well blocked and then he curled an effort just over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
The Addicks were unlucky not to go three ahead just after the hour, as Munn’s effort hit teammate Kennedy on the goalline.
John McGreal made the first change a couple of minutes later, bringing on Dom Smith for Jack Curtis.
Byron Lawrence had two bites of the cherry as the U’s looked for a way back into the game, having his first shot blocked and then being denied by a diving save from Phillips.
A second substitution came for the U’s on seventy eight minutes, with Cameron James coming on for Kane Vincent-Young who had taken a knock.
Four minutes later, Charlton made the game safe with a third goal and it was the dangerman Piggott who applied the finishing touch.
It was a calm finish from the number nine, who had looked a threat throughout the game and deserved his two goals.
A third change was needed in the final minutes, as Jamie Harney took a blow to the back and had to be replaced by Callum Harrison.
The final whistle went after a couple of minutes of injury time and in the end, the young U’s were well beaten by a strong Charlton outfit.