Charlton’s youthful side beat Crawley 2-0 in their Checkatrade Trophy match on Tuesday evening.

Andrew Crofts and Ben Reeves added the experience, and Johnnie Jackson was the wise old head on the bench.

650 Addicks fans made the journey to back their team.

Reeves started his first game since Exeter in early August, and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild was the lone striker.

Aaron Barnes started at left-back and had a difficult evening against the livel. Dennon Lewis.

Charlton took the lead through Reeves eight minutes before the interval. Crofts latched on to a poor goal kick from Yusuf Mersin, and played Reeves in.

The former MK Dons midfielder fired into the keeper’s bottom left hand corner from the edge of the box.

Substitute, George Lapslie, ‎made the game safe 20 minutes from time. He raced clear and calmly steered the ball just inside the keeper’s right hand post.

Karl Robinson will have been pleased with the performance of his side, as well as with the result.

Charlton: Phillips; Dijksteel, Konsa, Sarr, Barnes (Jackson 68); Crofts (Maloney 89), Aribo, Charles-Cook, Reeves (Lapslie 54), Ahearne-Grant; Hackett-Fairchild.

Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Yamfam.

Goals: ‎Reeves 37, Lapslie 70.

Crawley: ‎Mersin; Young (Tajbakash 14), McNerney, Yorwerth, Djalo; Payne, Bulman (Clifford 33), Camara, Lewis; Meite, Verheydt (Sanoh 55).

Subs (not used): Morris, Lelan.

Booked: Djalo 10 (foul), Yorwerth 43 (foul), Sanoh 59 (foul)‎.

Referee: Nick Kinseley‎ (Essex).

Attn: 1,666 (650 from Charlton)

 

Former Portsmouth attacking midfielder, Gary Roberts, signed for Wigan on Tuesday afternoon. Roberts left Pompey by mutual consent, and was a free agent.

Roberts’ arrival may mean that the Latics are more willing to listen to offers for Will Grigg, but Robinson seemed to pour cold water on transfer speculation after the game, and had this to say:

“As we stand here now, we’re happy with what we’ve got,‎ I’ve said from the outset that I wanted a striker but we’re scoring goals from all over the pitch at the moment.

“It’s going to be busy over the next 48 hours – maybe keeping our players. Hopefully as the transfer window comes to a close we can be quite resolute about what we want to do moving forward, said the manager.