Coventry City 3 Charlton 1

Charlton’s trip to league leaders Coventry City began in promising fashion, but despite carving out a string of opportunities, the Addicks slipped to a 3-1 defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Harvey Knibbs opened the scoring but a 30th-minute injury to Amari’i Bell allowed the home side to gain momentum, scoring twice before half-time and then again with 14 minutes remaining.

It was a whirlwind opening 25 minutes and, while Coventry had plenty of possession, both sides created a number of openings.

After a few half-chances for the hosts, the Addicks took a 13th-minute lead. Thomas Kaminski struck a free kick from just inside the Charlton half into the opposition box. Lloyd Jones got first contact and the ball fell to Tyreece Campbell in the box. The attacker’s shot deflected into the path of Knibbs, who opened his body up and finished calmly from just outside the six-yard box in front of the jubilant away end.

Bell, returning to the side for the first time since limping off against Swansea City at the start of the month, then made a big block to keep out Bobby Thomas’ driven shot. From the resulting corner, Kaminski made an outstanding save to tip Thomas’ header over the crossbar.

Jones then had his goal-bound header from James Bree’s corner from the left cleared off the line by a Coventry defender, before Tanto Olaofe’s left-footed shot was kicked away by the Sky Blues’ stopper Carl Rushworth.

Tyreece Campbell’s ball across goal from the left was inches ahead of Tanto Olaofe, who was sliding in at the back post.

With Charlton creating chances, a break in play due to Bell going off injured appeared to help the home side.

Macaulay Gillesphey made a big block to keep out Ephron Mason-Clark’s shot in the 37th minute, but three minutes later the winger created Coventry’s equaliser, laying the ball off for Josh Eccles, whose low shot from the edge of the area found the net.

Four minutes after their opener, the home side scored again when Ellis Simms headed in Victor Torp’s wonderfully whipped corner from three yards out.

Charlton had the first big chance of the second half when Miles Leaburn won the ball in the right channel and set Sonny Carey on the edge of the area. The midfielder took a touch and drove a shot just over the crossbar.

Kaminski then got down quickly to gather a low, skidding shot from Torp.

With 14 minutes remaining, the hosts scored their third when a Jack Rudoni shot deflected off a Charlton defender and into the path of Simms, who tapped into the open goal from close range.

With key players injured, Nathan Jones’ side have a week to regroup before Portsmouth visit The Valley next weekend.

Charlton are back at The Valley on December 6th for the visit of Portsmouth. Click here to purchase your ticket.

Coventry City: Rushworth, Dasilva (Bidwell 88), Thomas, Rudoni (Allen 80), Grimes (c), Simms, Mason-Clark (Andrews 88), Kitching, Van Ewijk (Kesler-Hayden 89), Eccles (Woolfenden 65), Torp

Subs (not used): Wilson, Latibeaudiere, Angel Brau, Perry

Goals: Eccles 40, Simms 44, 76

Assists: Mason-Clark 40, Torp 44

Booked: Thomas 89 (foul on Campbell)

Charlton: Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones (c), Gillesphey; Bree (Apter 87), Carey (Hernández 77), Coventry, Knibbs (Docherty 46), Bell (Leaburn 30); Olaofe (Fullah 77), Campbell

Subs (not used): Mannion, Rankin-Costello, Anderson, Berry

Goal: Knibbs 13

Booked: Ramsay 14 (foul on Mason-Clark)

Referee: David Webb

Attendance: 31,141