Charlton Athletic 2-0 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League One, The Valley, Tuesday 28 January 2025
Bristol Rovers fell to a second consecutive 2-0 defeat on the road, with a pair of first-half goals giving Charlton Athletic all three points at The Valley.
Matty Godden opened the scoring with a clever finish early on for the Addicks before Josh Edwards doubled the tally with a powerful strike on 36 minutes.
It was no more than the home side deserved after forcing the ever-excellent Josh Grifiths into a number of late saves, with the Rovers No1 denying Godden, Luke Berry and Macaulay Gillesphey.
An improved second-half showing from the Gas threatened at least hope of a route back into the contest late on, but Charlton’s victory was warranted for their first-half efforts.
With six changes made to the starting XI from the weekend’s defeat at Wigan Athletic, the Gas started brightly at The Valley with three successive corners; the last of which saw Connor Taylor’s scrambled effort blocked and cleared.
Charlton stepped up the pressure and took the lead inside 13 minutes. Tyreece Campbell had a low effort from the edge of the area and, stepping into space, Godden flicked an effort past Griffiths and into the Rovers net.
Griffiths, as he has been on multiple occasions this season, made a string of impressive saves to deny the Addicks another goal. A ferocious shot by Godden was turned away as was Berry’s narrow free-kick and defender Gillesphey’s looping header.
But Nathan Jones’ side found their second on 36 minutes. A deserved one too, in truth, when Edwards slammed in a well-taken strike from outside the area.
Rovers tested Charlton goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer for the first time not long after. Scott Sinclair’s free-kick was powerful and on-target, but the shot-stopper was equal to the attempt as the home side took their two-goal advantage into half-time.
Head Coach Calderón made one change to the team at the start of the second half with Lino Sousa replacing Clinton Mola at left-back. That substitution was followed by another trio just before the hour mark. Gatlin O’Donkor, Isaac Hutchinson and Romaine Sawyers were also introduced in an effort to inspire a fightback from the visitors.
It was certainly an improved half from the Gas, who looked to cause Charlton problems without actually getting into the true danger zones. Forde and Sotiriou were close to latching onto through-balls, but could not get themselves into the right position.
O’Donkor threatened with bursting runs into the Charlton box but it was the home side who came closest to a third goal in the contest late on. Small’s curling shot was tipped away by Griffiths as defeat was inflicted on the Pirates.
Charlton Athletic: Maynard-Brewer, Ramsay, Gillesphey, Jones, Coventry, Campbell (Aneke 78), Berry (Anderson 65), Docherty ©, Edwards (Edmonds-Green 90), Godden (Kanu 78), Small
Subs not used: Mannion, Mitchell, Leaburn,
Goals: Godden 13, Edwards 36
Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Moore, Wilson, Mola (Sousa 46), Sinclair © (O’Donkor 58), Ward (Hutchinson 58), Sotiriou (Thomas 77), Taylor, Martin, Forde, Lindsay (Sawyers 58)
Subs not used: Hall, Senior
Booked: Mola
Referee: Farai Hallam
Attendance: 11,149 (350 away)
