Match Report
Charlton Athletic U21 took all three points against Stockport County U21 in the Premier League Cup group stage on Wednesday evening. The final score read 2-1 to the visitors, a result that shifts the balance in this fixture. And here's the thing — you could see the pattern forming early.
Stockport struck first through E. McMillan, who found the net in the nineteenth minute. The home side looked comfortable for a spell, but Charlton responded. J. Astles equalised before the half-hour mark, thirty-six minutes in, and the momentum began to turn.
What followed was a decisive period. E. Brown gave Charlton the lead in the fifty-ninth minute, and Stockport could not recover. To be fair, the home side had chances, but Charlton managed the closing stages without panic.
Looking at the recent form, Stockport came into this match with mixed results — a 3-1 win over Burnley U21 in March, but also heavy defeats like the 2-7 loss to Cardiff City U21 in December. Charlton, meanwhile, had drawn 2-2 with Barnsley U21 in their most recent outing, suggesting they were finding their feet.
By then, this cup competition had its own rhythm. Group stage matches do not always reflect the league table, but they matter for qualification. Charlton's victory puts them in a stronger position moving forward.
The result extends Charlton's unbeaten run while Stockport will need to regroup. Three points separate them now, and in a competition like this, every point counts.