Ipswich Town 0 Charlton 3

Charlton were outstanding as they beat Ipswich Town 3-0 at Portman Road to move fifth in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Addicks defended bravely in a tense first-half before the floodgates opened in a devastating 12-minute spell shortly after the break.

Sonny Carey opened the scoring, netting his fourth goal in seven games, with Macaulay Gillesphey netting the second and Miles Leaburn rounding things off with his first Championship goal to make it back-to-back wins for the Addicks.

Nathan Jones made two changes to the side that beat Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday with Kayne Ramsay and Tanto Olaofe replacing Reece Burke and Tyreece Campbell in the starting lineup. 

The Tractor Boys started well and controlled the game for the opening 25 minutes, with Thomas Kaminsky making a good save to deny Ivan Azon from close range before Gillesphey headed a Jack Clarke corner off the line. 

The Addicks soaked up the pressure, countered well and in the 35th minute had their first real sight of goal, Amari’i Bell’s deep cross from the left found Carey at the back post but the midfielder couldn’t control his half-volley.

A minute later the away supporters breathed a sigh of relief when Chuba Akpom rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot from inside the box after a swift counter-attack.

Ipswich’s substitute goalkeeper, Christian Walton, on for the injured Alex Palmer, was called into action shortly afterwards when Charlie Kelman flicked a header into the path of Olaofe, who went in on goal but was denied by Walton’s left foot. 

Charlton’s best chance of the half came in stoppage time when a James Bree corner fell to Gillesphey in the box but the unsighted defender could only scoop over the bar with his weaker right foot.

Within seven minutes of the second half starting, Charlton had the lead and it was that man again, the Ginger Genius. Carey, who also netted in Saturday’s win over Sheffield Wednesday, picked up on a loose ball just inside the Ipswich half and drove forward with confidence. After shaping to shoot with his right foot, he created enough room to drive a low, left-footed shot past Walton.

Three minutes later, the Addicks had a second, Conor Coventry fed Carey on the right wing and his cross was met by Olaofe. The Charlton striker’s clever flick was excellently saved by Walton but fell into the path of Gillesphey who kept his cool and nodded into an open net. 

Nathan Jones brought on game changers Campbell and Leaburn in the 62nd minute and just two minutes later the two had combined for Charlton’s third. Coventry’s disguised, reverse pass looked like it had too much on it but Campbell showed his speed to get to the ball, dinking a cross to his fellow academy graduate Leaburn to head home from close range.

Ipswich did have a goal ruled out, Kasey McAteer adjudged to have been in an offside position after tapping home from close range.

The Addicks had chances to add more, Leaburn played a neat one-two with Carey before driving a shot at Walton and Campbell danced his way into the penalty area and curled a shot across goal and inches past the post.

Charlton are back on the road on Saturday to take on an in-form Hull City. 

The Addicks are back at The Valley on Saturday, November 1st for the visit of Swansea City. Click here to purchase your ticket. 

Ipswich Town: Palmer (Walton 23), Davis (Johnson 75), Cajuste (Taylor 75), Young, McAteer (Philogene 63), Greaves, O’Shea (c), Akpom, Azon (Hirst 63), Nunez, Clarke

Subs (not used): Kipre, Walle Egeli, Furlong, Szmodics

Charlton: Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey; Bree, Coventry (Burke 90+2), Carey (Knibbs 85), Docherty (c) (Rankin-Costello 90+2), Bell; Kelman (Campbell 62), Olaofe (Leaburn 62)

Subs (not used): Mannion, Berry, Hernández, Apter

Goals: Carey 52, Gillesphey 55, Leaburn 64

Assist: Campbell 64

Booked: Docherty 45+3 (foul on Akpom), Ramsay 78 (foul on Philogene) Knibbs 88 (foul on Akpom)

Referee: Farai Hallam

Attendance: 28,006