Championship
CharltonCharlton Athletic3LutonLuton Town1

Charlton Athletic 3-1 Luton Town: Taylor double sinks Hatters

Lyle Taylor
Lyle Taylor took his tally to 11 league goals for the season

Lyle Taylor's double helped Charlton to a precious three points against Luton in their battle for Championship survival.

In an even first half, Taylor gave the hosts early impetus with a smart half-volley, but the lead was short-lived as Harry Cornick pounced on a poor clearance to smash a low shot into the corner.

Taylor put the Addicks back in front from the penalty spot - his seventh goal against the Hatters in the last five meetings - after James Collins handled George Lapslie's shot.

And Lapslie wrapped up victory late on with his first league goal for Charlton, slotting home after a one-two with Macauley Bonne.

Both teams were buoyed by improved form in their battle to avoid relegation.

Charlton have now followed a run of one win in 17 games with three victories in their last five games, while Luton had picked up three wins in five going into this game after seven defeats in the previous eight.

Luton arrived at The Valley with successive clean sheets and back-to-back wins behind them, having kept their opponents scoreless just once prior to that in the entire league campaign so far.

But it was a familiar story as the Championship's leakiest defence conceded three or more goals in London for the sixth match running, to take their 'Goals Against' tally for the season to 69 in 34 matches.

The Hatters had an early let-off in an even first half when Naby Sarr hammered a shot against the bar from 10 yards, but the match turned early in the second half with the scores level.

Town's top scorer Collins had the ball in the net, only to be flagged offside, and just moments later conceded the penalty which gave the Addicks their match-winning lead.

Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer:

"We created enough chances in the second half to win the game comfortably. We moved the ball quicker. Our movement off the ball was better.

"It was a big three points. They all are now. Every point is valuable. Nothing is given to you in this league. You have to earn it.

"There's a lot to play for. There's a lot more teams in this scrap than people realise. It's the teams above us that are going to get drawn into this."

Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I've got no complaints with the lads. The big moment in the game was our offside goal, which we've looked at and it wasn't. If there was ever a game that swung on a big decision, that was it.

"At 2-1 you're in the ascendancy but then Collins obviously gives a silly penalty away. We're chasing the game, try and get an extra attacker on the pitch and we concede a third goal.

"We were fantastic. We played some good stuff. We're starting to get a consistent performance and look about us, which satisfies me."

Line-ups

Charlton

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 1Phillips
  • 2Matthews
  • 5Lockyer
  • 23Sarr
  • 45Doughty
  • 4OshilajaBooked at 44minsSubstituted forLapslieat 55'minutes
  • 24Cullen
  • 27Davis
  • 29OztumerSubstituted forBonneat 79'minutes
  • 9TaylorBooked at 76mins
  • 18GreenSubstituted forPearceat 88'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Pearce
  • 13Amos
  • 14McGeady
  • 17Bonne
  • 21Smith
  • 26Hemed
  • 32Lapslie

Luton

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 12Sluga
  • 26BreeSubstituted forBoltonat 82'minutes
  • 6PearsonBooked at 84mins
  • 18Carter-Vickers
  • 3Potts
  • 16ReaBooked at 67minsSubstituted forMcManamanat 70'minutes
  • 4TunnicliffeBooked at 26mins
  • 17Mpanzu
  • 8Berry
  • 19Collins
  • 14CornickSubstituted forMoncurat 70'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Stech
  • 2Cranie
  • 7McManaman
  • 9Hylton
  • 11Shinnie
  • 20Moncur
  • 22Bolton
Referee:
Andre Marriner
Attendance:
18,969

Match Stats

Home TeamCharltonAway TeamLuton
Possession
Home47%
Away53%
Shots
Home12
Away9
Shots on Target
Home3
Away2
Corners
Home6
Away5
Fouls
Home10
Away8

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Charlton Athletic 3, Luton Town 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Charlton Athletic 3, Luton Town 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. George Moncur (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Callum McManaman (Luton Town) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  5. Post update

    Callum McManaman (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by David Davis (Charlton Athletic).

  7. Post update

    Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Alfie Doughty.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Jason Pearce replaces Andre Green.

  9. Goal!

    Goal! Charlton Athletic 3, Luton Town 1. George Lapslie (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Macauley Bonne.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Callum McManaman (Luton Town) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ryan Tunnicliffe.

  11. Post update

    Offside, Charlton Athletic. Lyle Taylor tries a through ball, but Macauley Bonne is caught offside.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Matty Pearson (Luton Town).

  13. Post update

    Josh Cullen (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Attempt missed. George Moncur (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dan Potts.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Luton Town. Luke Bolton replaces James Bree.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Matty Pearson (Luton Town).

  17. Post update

    Macauley Bonne (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Macauley Bonne replaces Erhun Oztumer.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Dillon Phillips.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. George Moncur (Luton Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by James Collins.