Charlton Athletic 2-0 Barnsley: Superb Addicks triumph thanks to Karlan Grant brace

Charlton inflicted just the second league defeat of Barnsley’s season with a superb performance at The Valley.

A brace from Karlan Grant, taking his goal total to seven for the campaign, with one coming in either half gave Lee Bowyer his victory – which was underlined by a magnificent defensive display from his side.

The high-flying Tykes fired a warning shot early on as Daniel Pinillos’ effort flashed across the face of Jed Steer’s goal in front of The Valley’s Covered End – but it would the hosts who edged ahead.

Charlton look to break from a set-piece, with Jamie Ward’s pin-point through ball picking out Grant outside the area. The striker eased past his man before arrowing his sixth goal of the campaign home via the far-post and strutting away in celebration.

The first-period was a hugely physical midfield affair littered with outbursts of quality attacking play from both sides – but the Addicks, aided by the return to fitness of Krystian Bielik, defended well and limited their visitors to speculative efforts.

Steer had got down to divert Alex Mowatt’s free-kick around the post, before Aribo had the ball taken off his toes as he looked to pounce from close-range after a flowing Addicks move at the other end.

Ward came close to extending the lead twice before the interval, seeing a close-range poke at goal blocked before then volleying straight at Adam Davies from the edge of the area four minutes before the break.

The Addicks appeared to have forged daylight between the two sides shortly after the second-half started when Jason Pearce flicked a corner over the line, but referee James Linington had spotted an infringement in the Tykes’ area.

The lead was doubled moments later after another slick Addicks attack. Joe Aribo slipped Lyle Taylor away on the left, who squared for his strike-partner Grant to tap home his second of the game.

Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel had thrown top-scorer Kieffer Moore on at the break and the target-man saw a header fly wide as the visitors looked for a way back into the contest.

The visitors were nearly undone by an unusual set-piece, as Ben Reeves’ corner nearly curled straight in – keeper Adam Davies just about blocking it at his near-post.

The stopper was called into action again soon after as Taylor’s superb pass sent Grant on his way. Davies stormed off his line to clear the ball, with Taylor then returning it with interest with the goalkeeper out of his goal, only for it to be headed clear when it looked to be going in.

Steer was alert as Dimitri Cavare burst forward from right-back for the visitors, only to fire at the Addicks stopper from the edge of the box with time running out for the Yorkshire outfit.

The Tykes continued to enjoy spells of possession but found themselves up against a stubborn Charlton back-line who gave very little away in the way of chances, even after Bielik was forced off with an injury for the final eight minutes.

Substitute Mamadou Thiam curled just wide from the edge of the box for Barnsley, before Talyor was unable to sort his feet out in time to polish off the game with a third goal after Joe Aribo’s cross.

But it didn’t matter as the Addicks held on for their first win in four league games, deservedly keeping just their third clean sheet of the season in the process.