Charlton get job done with minimum of fuss as Pirates fail to plunder

Charlton Athletic (2) 2 Godden 13, Edwards 34

Bristol Rovers (0) 0

Matty Godden bagged his 10th goal of the season and Josh Edwards his first to set the Addicks on their way to a comfortable win.

It's now one defeat in 10 league games and there is the unmistakeable sense of momentum brewing at the Valley again.

With London rivals Orient crushing Exeter City 6-2, there now appears to be a two-pronged assault from the capital on the League One's play-off zone. The O's are now sixth, with Charlton eighth - Bolton separating the clubs.

Rovers had won the last five meetings between the sides, but here they were poor in the first half and toothless in the second. They float just above the bottom four, though have hopes that their new boss Inigo Calderon will work his magic in the way most Spanish coaches do in our leagues.

Charlton seized the initiative after less than a quarter of an hour when Tyreece Cambell's sliding ball into the box fell perfectly for Godden to put away from six yards with a poacher's finish.

The former Coventry City striker showed that he has other tricks in the bag later in the half with a turn and rasping drive from the edge of he area that just cleared the bar.

Luke Berry also went close twice with a fine volley from Thierry Small's cross and another powerful effort from an angle that keeper Josh Griffiths had to watch carefully in turning aside and there was very nearly a second for Godden after a goalmouth scramble.

Defenders were getting forward into the danger zone regularly too and Griffiths was at full stretch to keep out a finely directed header from Macaulay Gillesphey.

A second goal was inevitable and it came from the boot of Edwards, who picked up a loose ball outside the D and drilled perfectly into the bottom corner beyond the keeper's left hand.

It was his first for the club and a moment to savour.

The visitors offered little, though the evergreen Scott Sinclair rifled a free-kick around the wall that Ashley Maynard-Brewer was equal to it, diving to his left.

The former Celtic (and QPR) man did not last beyond the hour though. Captain he may be, but he was hooked in a triple substitution.

Rovers did improve to the extent they saw much more of the ball, but the Addicks were more than happy to sit back and absorb. They never looked stressed in a low-key second half.

Nathan Jones' team did not create a great deal in that second 45 minutes, though Daniel Kanu went close after coming on, forcing another save.

As the half wore on it became increasingly about game management and energy conservation with half an eye on the trip to Blackpool at the weekend.

Addicks: (4-2-3-1) Maynard-Brewer - Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey, Edwards (Edmonds-Green 90) - Coventry, Docherty - Small, Berry (Anderson 65), Tyreece Campbell (Aneke 78) - Godden (Kanu 78)

Pirates: (4-2-3-1) Griffiths - Moore, Wilson, Taylor, Mola (Sousa h/t) - Lindsay (Sawyers 58), Ward (Hutchinson 58) - Sinclair (O'Donker 58), Sotiriou (Thomas 77), Forde - Martin

Attendance: 11,149