Cheltenham Town 1 Charlton 3
Charlton kicked off the 2026/27 season in emphatic fashion, producing a scintillating first-half display as goals from Matty Godden, Sonny Carey and Tyreece Campbell sealed a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
Sporting the club’s popular purple third kit, there were Charlton debuts for Danny McNamara, Billy Koumetio and Nathaniel Chalobah, while Karlan Grant made his second debut following his return to the club in July.
Despite some early possession for the home side, it was Charlton who created the first chance of the game after four minutes. A Cheltenham clearance ricocheted off Tyreece Campbell, pressing well, and bounced into the path of Godden, who, under pressure, dragged his shot just wide of the post.
Cheltenham goalkeeper Joe Day was called into action shortly afterwards, diving comfortably to his right to keep out a low left-footed effort from Carey from 20 yards.
The Addicks took the lead in the 22nd minute, capitalising on a turnover in the opposition half. Godden closed down a Cheltenham defender, whose attempted clearance ricocheted into the path of Carey, giving Nathan Jones’ side a numerical advantage on the counter-attack. With options available, Carey picked out Godden on the left. The striker cut inside onto his right foot and curled a perfectly placed effort across goal, the ball bouncing in off the far post.
Within two minutes, Charlton doubled their advantage, with Chalobah providing the assist. The midfielder drove forward before slipping a clever reverse pass into Carey’s path. Carey’s excellent first touch set him up to steer a composed finish into the bottom corner.
Cheltenham registered their first effort on goal in the 27th minute when Shaun McWilliams fired a powerful strike narrowly over the crossbar.
Charlton’s third arrived in the 38th minute and was every bit as impressive as the opening two goals. Conor Coventry did well to win possession in the Cheltenham half before feeding Campbell, who had just switched to the left wing. The academy graduate did the rest, cutting inside onto his right foot and unleashing an arrowed effort into the top-right corner from 20 yards.
Grant then came close to adding a fourth, surging down the right flank and driving a powerful low shot across goal that Day did well to push around the post.
The Addicks’ final chance of the first half came when Coventry threaded a perfectly weighted pass behind the Cheltenham defence for Campbell. The winger got down the outside onto his left foot and rattled the crossbar with a fierce strike.
The home side came out stronger in the second half and George Miller headed home an in-swinging Joe Tomlinson corner from close range 10 minutes after the break.
Tomlinson then forced Will Mannion into an excellent save down to his right as Cheltenham were able to sustain a bit of pressure.
The Addicks wrestled back control and Nathan Jones handed a debut to another summer signing, Ivan Mesík.
Cheltenham's substitute goalkeeper Wyll Stanway did well to keep the score at 3-1 with excellent late saves to keep out Carey twice and Mesík.
With a place in the second round secure, attention now turns to the Sky Bet Championship. Charlton kick-off their 2026/27 league campaign at The Valley next Saturday against Derby County.
Cheltenham Town: Day (Stanway 65); Nurse (Broom 65), Cundy, Sweeney, Tomkinson; Shipley (Onulwuli 79), McWilliams (Bickerstaff 79), Stevenson (c), McCann, Tomlinson; Miller (Otchere 65)
Subs (not used): Diallo, Obieri, Wilcox, Barber
Booked: Tomlinson 72 (foul on Mesík)
Goal: Miller 55
Assist: Tomlinson 55
Charlton: Mannion; McNamara (Mesík 70), Jones (c), Koumetio, Bell (Sichenje 78); Coventry, Chalobah (Mwamba 90+1); Campbell, Carey, Grant (Alli 78); Godden (Leaburn 70)
Subs (not used): Brooks, Docherty, Rankin-Costello- Knibbs
Goals: Godden 22, Carey 24, Campbell 38
Assists: Carey 22, Chalobah 24, Coventry 38
Referee: Alan Dale
