A Jon Nolan strike ten minutes from time, gave Shrewsbury a slender advantage to take back to the New Meadow.

There was endeavour aplenty, but the goal apart, not much real quality.

Prospective buyer, Andrew Muir – wearing a Charlton scarf, was present at the game along with Paul Elliott.

Lee Bowyer made four changes, Nicky Ajose, Josh Magennis, Stephy Mavididi and Ben Reeves returned at the expense of Sullay Kaikai, Michal Zyro, Mark Marshall and Joe Aribo. The latter three dropped to the bench, whilst Kaikai was not involved.

The Addicks edged the first-half, and had their best moments in the opening twenty minutes, with Magennis, Ajose and Jake Forster-Caskey all having chances.

The Shrews were the more dominant side after the break‎, without causing Ben Amos too many problems.

It always looked like a game that would need a piece of magic to settle it, and Nolan duly produced it with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box after 80 minutes.

Bowyer still believes there is everything to play for on Sunday and had this to say after the game:

“It was two teams going toe to toe and giving their all and it took a great strike to win the game. Did we deserve to lose? No. Is it going to be tough going up there? Yes. It was going to be tough anyway. Is the tie over? No.

“We’ve still got a great chance. I just said to the players that it is still in our hands. I believe, when we create those chances we have to take those chances.

“We should have been two up in the first 10 minutes but it is what it is. We’ve got to go there and roll our sleeves up because it isn’t going to be any different. The game will be the same.

“They’re not going to play no different, that’s the way they play and they’ve been good at it all season. You don’t finish third and just miss out on the top two by being a bad side. They’ve got a set way of playing and it works for them. You have to respect them for that.

“I know my team is better than their team. That’s what I just said to them ‘you are better than them, I’m telling you now, I’ll look you all in the eyes and tell you that you are a better team than them, so don’t think that this tie is over because it ain’t’.”
Charlton: Amos; Konsa, Bauer, Pearce , Dasilva; Mavididi (Fosu 62), Kashi, Forster-Caskey, Reeves (Aribo 76); Magennis, Ajose (Zyro 90). ‎

Subs (not used): Phillips, Marshall, Sarr, Dijksteel.

Shrewsbury: Henderson; Bolton, Nsiala, Sadler, Beckles; Whalley (Riley 88), B Morris, Godfrey, Nolan (John-Lewis 90), Rodman; C Morris (Payne 74). ‎

Subs (not used): MacGillivray, Lowe, Jones, Eisa.

Goal: Nolan 79.

Booked: C Morris 35 (foul), Rodman 73 (foul)‎.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attn: 14,367 (777 Shrewsbury).