Charlton make team effort from League Cup – as youth no match for experienced Milton Keynes side

MILTON KEYNES 3
Asonganyi 7 Watson 16 Cummings 71 og
CHARLTON 0

BY KEVIN NOLAN
AT STADIUM MK

A painfully young Charlton line-up, which included only one of last Saturday’s triumphant starters, named just five untried substitutes and boasted a handful of debutants was no match for Milton Keynes in this League Cup first round tie.

The more pressing weekend assignment at Accrington Stanley inevitably influenced Lee Bowyer’s approach to what he clearly considered more of an inconvenience than a serious fixture.

With his slender squad drastically reduced by injuries, it was hard to disagree with his pragmatic attitude. Shame the result couldn’t have been phoned in.

Bowyer actually stepped off-stage on Tuesday, handing the management reins to his assistant Johnnie Jackson and U23 boss Jason Euell.

It was Jackson who assumed responsibility for justifying Charlton’s tame exit from this lightly regarded competition.

“The young lads worked really hard but ultimately the inexperience has undone them. They gave too much respect to MK – maybe a bit of stage fright – and we found ourselves 2-0 down within 15 minutes.

“They were poor goals but they took on board what was said at half-time, which were a few hard words and put them into practice. “Circumstances have forced our hand somewhat, with the size of our squad and the injuries we have.

We can’t afford to have any more at the moment. That was the risk we took. It hasn’t paid off and we’re out of the cup.”

Jackson’s analysis was accurate and honest. Undoubtedly what amounted to Charlton’s U23 team, with the majority of them no more than teenagers, tried their best and at times impressed with their intuitive movement and crisp combination.

But in this clash of men against boys, there could be only one winner.

Victorious in both of their opening League One games, MK were largely unchanged from the side which beat Bury 1-0 three days previously.

New manager Paul Tisdale’s belief in the virtue of momentum was vindicated by a place in the next round.

The “stage fright” cited by Jackson quickly put paid to the Addicks’ already slim chances.

With just over a quarter hour played, they found themselves two down and already on their way out of the League Cup, a situation which is unlikely to be the cause of undue depression in SE7.

Both goals, as Jackson lamented were “poor” from the visitors’ point of view, though Tisdale, with some justification, will regard them as examples of clinical finishing.

Both opinions are equally valid. It’s entirely down to perspective.

Under negligible pressure from 18 year-old tyro Dylan Asonganyi, fellow novice Jo Cummings woefully underpowered his intended header back to Dillon Philips.

Sawn-off Asonganyi, who made his league debut against Bury, pounced on the gift and hammered his first goal for the club inside the left-hand post.

Named later as man-of-the-match, Assonganyi was destined to tangle with Cummings again before the end.

With Jackson-Euell’s kids still reeling from the setback. the deficit was doubled nine minutes later.

Turning in unencumbered space over 20 yards from Philips’ goal, Ryan Watson gave Phillips no chance of saving the right-footed curler which he planted deliberately beyond the keeper’s reach into the right corner.

The non-existent marking and distinct lack of pressure on the ball which invited Watson to shoot, earned Jackson’s displeasure.

Tisdale, on the other hand, was entitled to salute his midfielder’s poise and accuracy.

It’s all in the eye of the beholder. And most of the time, the beholder is hopelessly biased.

Long range efforts from Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, arguably Charlton’s best player, and smooth playmaker Albie Morgan were the best the visitors managed before the interval brought the “hard words” mentioned by Jackson.

The pep talk had its effect in a second half marginally edged by the Addicks.

But against the run of play, such as it was, MK fortuitously increased their lead with less than 20 minutes remaining.

A lightning raid on the right flank sent Callum Brittain clear with space to drill a delicious ball into the six-yard box, with which Asonganyi and Cummings strained to make contact.

It was Cummings who haplessly turned the cross past Phillips, with Asonganyi optimistically claiming credit and being named the scorer by an over-enthusiastic PA announcer.

Comfortably beaten by a side with more years and savvy, Charlton’s second-half contributions included a dipping header from 68th minute substitute Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu, which Lee Nicholls adroitly tipped over the bar and the late shot-cum-cross with which Hackett-Fairchild clipped the bar.

They were also denied a clear penalty when Nicky Ajose, after combining cleverly with Hackett-Fairchild, was chopped down by Jordan Moore-Taylor.

But they did their bit in sparing the first team for the more important task at Accrington. They’re young…they’ll get over it.

Charlton (3-5-2): Phillips 6, Dijksteel 6, Cummings 5, Blumberg 5, Marshall 6 (Doughty 68, 6), Maloney 6, Morgan 6 (Sarpong-Wiredu 68,6), Dempsey 6, Mascoll 6, Ajose 5, Hackett-Fairchild 7.

Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Stevenson.