Dartford 0 Charlton 1
Rob Apter was on the scoresheet as Charlton began their preparations for the 2026/27 season with a victory over Dartford at Princes Park.
The match provided supporters with a first glimpse of this week's signings, Ivan Mesík and Billy Koumetio, while also allowing Nathan Jones to hand valuable minutes to his squad.
Charlton made a bright start and almost took the lead in the 11th minute. Miles Leaburn burst into the left channel, cut inside and was brought down by Dartford defender Jordan Higgs to win a penalty. The striker took the spot-kick himself, but Ryan Sandford produced a save with his legs to keep the scores level.
Leaburn continued to threaten and came close again three minutes later, flashing a powerful effort narrowly wide from 20 yards. The forward then saw a deflected strike headed off the line by George Whitefield as the Addicks piled on the pressure.
The breakthrough arrived in the 31st minute. Leaburn collected a deep corner and found Alan Mwamba, who drove across the pitch before feeding Apter. The winger advanced on goal and fired a low shot past Sandford at his near post, the effort squeezing through the legs of a Dartford defender on its way in.
Ibrahim Fullah was next to test Sandford. Picking up possession inside the Dartford half, the academy graduate drove forward before unleashing a powerful 20-yard strike that the goalkeeper did well to parry away.
Fullah remained a lively presence and was denied again just before half-time, with Sandford getting down smartly to his right to keep out another effort from the midfielder.
As is customary in Charlton's opening pre-season fixture, Nathan Jones fielded a completely different XI after the break. Tyreece Campbell made an immediate impact down the left flank and, just three minutes into the second half, forced Dartford goalkeeper Carter Sullivan to race off his line and smother from close range.
Moments later, a last-ditch challenge from Ben Swift prevented Charlie Kelman from doubling the lead after Campbell's initial shot had been parried into his path.
At the other end, Will Mannion was called into action and comfortably preserved Charlton's advantage, diving to his right to keep out Whitefield's header from eight yards.
Charlton continued to press and almost added a second when Nathan Asiimwe cleverly picked out the Addicks' trialist breaking behind the Dartford defence. Sullivan was equal to the resulting effort from a tight angle, pushing the ball behind for a corner.
The visitors then worked a set-piece routine to Sonny Carey on the edge of the area, but his driven effort drifted just over the crossbar. Carey, Charlton's top scorer last season, later came close with an audacious overhead kick from 10 yards that sailed narrowly wide.
A neat one-two between Campbell and Kelman created another opening for the winger, but Sullivan again produced a smart low save.
That proved to be the final chance of the match as Jones' side completed a successful first outing of pre-season. The Addicks now head to Slovenia for a training camp ahead of next Friday's fixture against NK Maribor, which will be shown live on CharltonTV.
Dartford (first half): Sandford, Oke, Tennent, Whitefield, Fodes, Gyamera, Atkins, Higgs, Duncan, McLeod, Pinder
Dartford (second half): Sullivan, Odaudu, Swift, Wagstaff, Smith, Greenhalgh, Davey, O’Mara-Knap, Trialist, Atkins, Whitefield (Trialist 70)
Subs (not used): Anjorin, Ward, Williams
Charlton (first half): Brooks; Ramsay, Jones (c), Koumetio, Enslin; Rankin-Costello, Mwamba, Fullah; Apter, Leaburn, Olaofe
Charlton: (second half): Mannion; Asiimwe, Burke, Gough, Mesík; Coventry (c), Knibbs, Carey; Trialist, Kelman, Campbell
Subs (not used): Brown, Dixon, Kanu
Goal: Apter 31
Assist: Mwamba 31
Referee: Nick Dunn
Attendance: 3,058
