Charlton Athletic returned to winning ways at The Valley with a 2-1 victory over crisis-hit Sheffield Wednesday, thanks to first-half goals from Sonny Carey and Reece Burke that proved just enough to withstand a spirited Owls fightback. Jamal Lowe halved the deficit in the second period to set up a tense finale, before visiting goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was sent off in stoppage time to cap a miserable week for the Yorkshire club.
The result, coming straight after the international break, lifts Nathan Jones' side up to ninth in the Championship and back onto the fringes of the play-off picture, while extending their formidable recent home record. For Wednesday, already reeling from news of an impending winding-up petition over an unpaid £1m HMRC bill, defeat coupled with Sheffield United's win over Watford sends them to the bottom of the table despite another show of resilience and fight.
Addicks' Aggressive Start Puts Owls Under Early Strain
Charlton began at a high tempo, pressing Wednesday aggressively and forcing early errors from a visiting back line that looked uncomfortable in possession. Within minutes Reece Burke had surged forward from centre-back to draw a fierce shot that was blocked vitally by Max Lowe, a sign of the pressure the hosts were keen to exert down both flanks.