Charlton rounded off their pre-season with a friendly clash against Reading behind closed doors at The Valley on Saturday.
Reece Evans’ headed goal came sandwiched between a stunning Lewis Wing double to earn the visitors a 3-0 victory as Nathan Jones’ squad gained more vital minutes ahead of the Championship’s big kick off in two weeks time.
There was little to report from the first 45 minutes of action in the sweltering-hot SE7, but it was the Royals that came closest to an opener with Lloyd Jones putting in an important block to keep out Reece Evans.
At the other end, Karlan Grant showed a good turn of pace to burst forward and play in Amari’i Bell, whose dangerous ball in was palmed away by Royals stopper Joel Pereira, but in truth, there was little in the way of forward action from either side until the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time in impressive fashion.
Lewis Wing stood over a free-kick 25 yards from goal and placed his effort perfectly in the top left-hand corner to put Leam Richardson’s men in front.
Into the second half and Charlton showed more attacking intent, with debutant Millenic Alli providing a good cross for Tyreece Campbell, whose goal-bound effort was hooked away under pressure from Harvey Knibbs.
Just after the hour mark, subs Joe Rankin-Costello and Miles Leaburn combined well to get the latter into the box and force Pereira into a good, low save.
Moments later, however, Reading doubled their lead via Evans, who nodded home from Kyreece Lisbie’s right-wing cross.
On 73 minutes, some impressive build-up play down the right resulted in Danny McNamara sending in a teasing cross which was very nearly turned into his own net by Royals sub Phil Duah as Charlton continued to find a way through, but 10 minutes later the away side would add another in stunning fashion.
It was Wing who added to his impressive opener with another eye-catching strike, this time curling one in to the top right-hand corner from the left corner of the box to make it 3-0.
The result rounds off the Addicks’ pre-season campaign as the start of the 2026/27 season nears with a Carabao Cup first-round trip to Cheltenham Town beckoning next Saturday.
Charlton: Kaminski; Ramsay (McNamara 59), Jones (Sichenje 76), Koumetio (Burke 59), Bell; Coventry (Trialist 46), Docherty (Mwamba 59); Campbell (Olaofe 76), Knibbs (Rankin-Costello 59), Grant (Alli 46); Godden (Leaburn 46).
Subs: Gough, Fullah, Kanu.
Reading: Pereia; Godwin-Malife, Trialist (Duah 60), Ward, Dorsett; Wing, Rinomhota; Lisbie (St Louis 88), Hicks (Osho 85), Kyerewaa; Evans (Howard 85).
Subs (not used): Rowley, Sackey, Spencer, Jones, Dashi.
Goals: Wing 45, 83, Evans 67
Referee: Sunny Gill
