Peckham’s Campbell landed first-team start for Charlton Athletic after training ground performance on Friday
Tyreece Campbell’s performance in training persuaded Charlton manager Dean Holden to start him in today’s 2-0 win over Barnsley.
The Peckham teenager, 19, scored his first senior goal to put the Addicks on the way to the three points.
Campbell was selected ahead of the more experienced Charlie Kirk, who did not make the matchday squad.
Holden revealed that Diallang Jaiyesimi, another attacking option, was unavailable due to a sickness bug.
“With TC coming in, I just feel the strongest part of our team at the moment is that pace in the frontline – one-v-one ability,” said Holden. “Corey [Blackett-Taylor], his legs were done after the game the other night [at Manchester United]. He needed to come out and rest. He came on and did really well, he ran beyond their full-back a few times.
“Tyreece is the closest we’ve got [to Blackett-Taylor]. Kirky is a different kind of player. He’s a good player, a really good player – but I just felt it was that one-v-one ability to get you up the pitch with the pace of Tyreece. And once you get up the pitch, can you then go past people – like he did.
“Tyreece takes all the credit for it.
“There is no pecking order, because Tyreece wasn’t in the squad previously. I wanted him to play in the U21s and get some minutes into him.
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“I came into training on Friday with an open mind. I didn’t tell the players the team. It’s not ideal, but I was still thinking about emotionally and physically, who could recover from Tuesday. He trained excellently yesterday. I got Hayesy [Anthony Hayes] and Scotty Marshall to take the majority of the session. I just stood and watched with my hood up, because it was chucking down.
“I watched him and the more and more I watched I thought ‘I’m going to play him tomorrow’. He has gone out and played excellent.”
There were injury issues for Holden this afternoon.
Steven Sessegnon had been named in his starting 11 but dropped out just before kick-off, Sean Clare taking his place.
Todd Kane, signed on Thursday on loan from Coventry City, had to be replaced by Eoghan O’Connell just before the interval.
“I don’t know anything other than that Todd felt some tightness,” said Holden. “Hopefully it’s a pull. A scan will probably determine that, so fingers crossed.
“Sess, again he is managing a situation that he has had previously. It’s not ideal for him. He’s had an injury which he has had to manage, in terms of the loading. Sometimes he gets a little bit of swelling. That was the case, unfortunately, that he felt in the warm up.
“Looking back it is not ideal. But the players can really grasp on that dealing with adversity.”
MAIN PICTURE: PAUL EDWARDS