Charlton 1 Preston North End 0
The Addicks made it three league wins on the spin at The Valley on Saturday afternoon, beating Preston North End 1-0 in the Sky Bet Championship.
The result sent Charlton to the top of the league table as Karlan Grant bagged his first goal back at the club with a fine finish in front of the Covered End.
Nathan Jones made one change for the team that beat West Ham United last weekend, as Ivan Mesík started in place of the injured Billy Koumetio.
There was nothing to report in the opening stages of the match as both sides looked to break the deadlock.
On 23 minutes, Tyreece Campbell sent a dangerous cross into the area, which Aflie Devine did well to turn away under pressure from Miles Leaburn.
Shortly after, Harry Clarke managed to get the better of Mesík down the right-hand side and fed the ball through to Callum Lang who was lurking in the area. Skipper Lloyd Jones produced an excellent piece of defending to shield the ball out for a goal-kick.
Andrija Vukcevic sent a searching cross that was met by Lang, who couldn’t direct it on target while, at the other end, Campbell floated a well-weighted ball towards Leaburn, who nodded it narrowly wide of the post.
Both sides had chances throughout the first 45 minutes, but neither could seriously test the goalkeepers.
The Addicks had a chance to go ahead just before half-time after being awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. Grant stepped up to take it but saw his effort fly narrowly just past the goal.
The gaffer made his first switch at the interval, as Sonny Carey was replaced by Millenic Alli.
Charlton upped the tempo at the start of the second half. Charlton soon got their reward for their increased pressure, as Grant opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Alli’s cross found the number nine in the box, who held up the ball brilliantly. He managed to turn and squeeze his shot in at the near post beyond Daniel Iversen to give the Addicks a well-deserved lead.
Alan Mwamba entered the fray just after the hour mark, as Nathaniel Chalobah was forced off and the academy graduate made an impact, seeing a shot well blocked following his introduction.
The midfielder was at the heart of the action of much if the action and fed a lovely ball through to Leaburn, but the striker fired his effort off target.
Towards the end of the game, sub Micah Mbick had the chance to make it two, but Clarke managed to thwart his effort.
The Addicks held firm to make it three league wins from three in the league. The result meant that Charlton sit the top of the Championship table with three wins from three - the only side remaining in the EFL with maximum points.
Jones’ men are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to The Hawthorns to take on West Bromwich Albion (7.45pm BST).
Charlton: Okonkwo; McNamara, Jones (c), Bell, Mesík; Coventry, Chalobah (Mwamba 63); Campbell (Asiimwe 90+4), Carey (Alli 46), Grant (Rankin-Costello 90+4), Leaburn (Mbick 88)
Subs (not used): Brooks, Knibbs, Ouma, Apter
Goal: Grant 56
Assist: Alli 56
Booked: Rankin-Costello 90+5 (foul on Burgzorg)
Preston North End: Iverson; Lindsay, Clarke, Gibson; Offiah (Erabi 70), Leroy, Thompson (Small 77), Vukevic (Wiley 89); Lang (Mills 70), Devine; Burgzorg
Subs (not used): Nicholls, Valentín, Storey, Moran, Gryba
Booked: Leroy 54 (foul on Grant)
Referee: Tom Reeves
Attendance: 17,256 (962 from Preston)
