Charlton cruised to victory at Crewe to consolidate their position in the
First Division play-off zone with an impressive counter-attacking performance.
New signing Danny Mills marked his debut for Charlton with a goal after just
three minutes and he was joined on the scoresheet by Shaun Newton on the stroke
of half-time and Mark Kinsella in the 77th minute.
Mills opened his account after Jason Kearton had made a great save from Mark
Bright's shot. The ball looped up in front of goal, though, and Mills was on
hand to outjump Shaun Smith and head into an empty net.
Crewe had the lion's share of possession in the first half, but Charlton
defended well and were always dangerous on the break.
Crewe should have equalised in the 10th minute, though, only for Colin Little
to head Mark Bignot's chipped cross over.
Then, after Charlton's John Robinson had a shot well saved by Kearton, another
Bignot cross created a chance, this time for Dave Walton, but his volley was
well saved by Sasa Ilic.
Little thought he had scored for Crewe after 26 minutes, but was pulled back
for an offside decision.
Crewe had their own stroke of luck soon afterwards, though, when Bright's
header from Kinsella's corner flew across the goal and Kearton was fortunate to
see the ball flash wide of the far post.
Charlton doubled their lead in the 45th minute when top scorer Clive Mendonca
fed Newton and the wing-back made no mistake.
In the second half Crewe never really looked like scoring, but Walton did
manage to test Ilic from a corner, when his header was well saved.
Walton then distinguished himself at the other end when he headed Bright's
superb header from Kinsella's corner off the line with Kearton beaten.
Newton terrorised Crewe's defence down the right flank after 73 minutes and
hit a wicked shot which was well saved by Kearton.
Four minutes later, though, there was no escape for Crewe. Substitute Paul
Mortimer played in Kinsella with a defence-splitting pass and the Irishman
finished with aplomb.
Charlton could have had a fourth goal just before the end when Mendonca forced
a great save from Kearton.
Teams:
Crewe: Kearton, Bignot, Smith, Foran, Walton, Charnock,
Wright (Lunt 68), Whalley, Guinan, Johnson, Little.
Subs Not Used: Anthrobus, Unsworth.
Booked: Bignot.
Charlton: Ilic, Mills (Konchesky 84), Bowen, Jones (Lisbie 78),
Chapple, Balmer, Newton, Kinsella, Robinson (Mortimer 63),
Mendonca, Bright.
Booked: Bowen, Balmer.
Goals: Mills 3, Newton 44, Kinsella 77.
Att: 5,252
Ref: W C Burns (Scarborough).
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