Dean Holden reveals Miles Leaburn was withdrawn during win at Cambridge due to injury concern

Charlton boss Dean Holden revealed that Miles Leaburn was withdrawn as a precaution during the 2-1 win at Cambridge.

The Addicks forward had given his side an early lead at the Abbey Stadium but was replaced by academy starlet Daniel Kanu at the break.

Holden’s men had the lead on 14 minutes. Sean Clare released Jes Rak-Sakyi on the right. The flag stayed down and the Crystal Palace loanee was able to tee up a Leaburn tap-in with a low cross – his ninth of the campaign.

Provider turned scorer for the second as Rak-Sakyi applied a cute finish to Albie Morgan’s free-kick just before the half-hour mark. The goal took Rak-Sakyi into double figures for goals this season.

The relegation-threatened Amber Army improved after the break and were back in it when Lloyd Jones pounced on Liam Bennett’s flick on inside the final 20 minutes.

But the South Londoners held on for all three points as they made it back-to-back away wins following the triumph at Morecambe in midweek.

Holden said: “Miles was feeling his hamstring at half-time, we had to take him off. We can’t take any risks with a young player – the size of him and the way he’s growing into his body.

“We lost a bit of control after 60 minutes. We stopped passing the ball as well as we’d done. The distances got really big from our centre-backs to Kanu. The midfield found it difficult to get on the ball like we did in the first half.

“A mixture of us not looking after the ball and them going really direct. But Ashley didn’t have much to do. Then the penalty shout on Kanu. He had him in a headlock. Luckily that didn’t go against us. Overall, a really pleasing three points.

“Six points from two away games inside four days is excellent. Backing up the point that we got at home to Accrington last week. Really pleasing. Great support again, it was important we put in a good result for them.

“The first goal was really pleasing. We knew where the key spaces would be in terms of getting down the side of their outside centre-backs. Jes Rak-Sakyi down the side on that occasion. A brilliant touch to get him across the defender and excellent care on his cross for Miles to finish.

“The second, I wouldn’t say it was well worked in terms of where Jes ended up, but it was certainly a good finish. We had total dominance at that point and could have got a third or maybe a fourth.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS