Cup overflows for Henry, 18 – Young gun lashes home debut goal for Addicks

CHARLTON 1 Henry 90 (Charlton win 5-3 on pens)
QPR 1 Roberts 80

BY LOUIS MENDEZ AT THE VALLEY

When Leeds United loanee Tyler Roberts’ debut strike rocketed Queens Park Rangers ahead inside the final 10 minutes of an engaging cup tie in SE7, new Charlton boss Ben Garner’s unbeaten start seemed in peril.

A tenure still in its infancy, but showing some early signs of promise, about to experience a maiden defeat.

This despite a performance on the night that warranted more against an outfit from the league above.

The first round of the League Cup and entertaining evenings of football aren’t convivial bedfellows.

English football’s second-rate knockout competition is certainly no friend of the Addicks – they’ve not progressed beyond the second round for the best part of a decade.

The competition holds Charlton in contempt, but Tuesday night felt different from the off. It took until the dying embers, but a paltry home crowd – to be expected when entertainment is so unexpected – saw the fruits of the Addicks’ labours picked and packaged in delicious fashion.

A corner half-cleared is an open invitation to Aaron Henry.

He’s played this card time and again in youth football.

Exhibiting outstanding technique, the 18-year-old unleashed a thunderous half-volley while on the move away from the target, leaving visiting stopper Seny Dieng pawing helplessly at the stuffy South London air.

The 90th-minute bolt nestled in the top corner, sending the tie straight to spot kicks and vindicating the decision made by those hardy home fans to make the effort.

The hosts were flawless from 12 yards.

Rangers blinked once but that was enough.

Joe Wollacott denied tidy midfielder Stefan Johansen in the shoot-out’s early knockings.

Nobody else put a foot wrong between that save and Eoghan O’Connell bagging Charlton’s fifth and decisive penalty.

Progression into the next round was the prize for their evening’s graft, but the real fascination of this campaign is what, if any, progression the club will make under the tutelage of Garner.

There will be – and there have been – some lingering limitations on show already, but they are countered by glimpses, and more, of that much-heralded identity the former boss of Swindon lives by.

You certainly saw both elements on Tuesday. QPR may be the big shot west Londoners, but it was Charlton who walked the walk, certainly in the first-period.

Dominating possession of the ball, the Addicks zipped it around with real purpose.

George Dobson, happy as always to get his hands dirty, allowed new boy Jack Payne to play conductor in the forward line.

He looks a find so far – not that Garner had to search far, having managed him in Wiltshire last season.

But an Addicks side who know how to operate on the ball isn’t an Addicks side familiar to most.

Chances came and went for the likes of young buck Miles Leaburn, who is still raw, and Diallang Jaiyesimi – who needs to build upon his early season momentum.

They dried up after the break as Rangers rallied.

There will be an appetite for the creation of more opportunities as the campaign trundles on, as there will be for the backline to give up as little as they did on Tuesday more consistently.

But for a manager who has had to almost start from scratch in the summer, the early indications are that he has sprinkled his influence on his side.

He made eight changes for this game, but there was still that bit of panache that he aims for.

There remain question marks over the side’s chances of making a real push for promotion – if the squad has the consistent quality under the surface.

But Garner has shown so far that he’ll have them drilled in his image.

And if he can win a first round League Cup tie, lord knows what else he can achieve.

Main Picture: Keith Gillard