An injury ravaged Carlisle United side travelled to face promotion-chasing Charlton Athletic with with Peter Murphy, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Matt Robson added to the list of absentees through injury and with defender Ian Harte on compassionate leave as he dealt with a family issue.

Striker Darryl Duffy had also waved goodbye to the squad as he was recalled to parent club Bristol Rovers, 24 hours ahead of kick off, leaving manager Greg Abbott with a selection headache to ponder.

Tony Kane got the nod to make his first start since September at right back with Richard Keogh moving over to the central defensive position.

Ben Marshall stayed on the left of midfield with Scott Dobie starting on the right, and Adam Clayton was given the task of supporting Jason Price whenever United had possession.

A frantic opening brought the Addicks forward in numbers but United defended well, keeping the ball out of their box.

A poor clearance from Horwood on 8 minutes allowed Sam the opportunity to cross, but his curling ball went over everyone and Kane was able to clear.

United broke forward and Marshall cut inside to deliver a low cross that took a deflection of Richardson. Price tried to get a touch but the ball ran harmlessly through to Randolph.

Tom Aldred had to concentrate on 15 minutes when Reid stole a yard and crossed early. The young defender watched it all the way and breathed a sigh of relief as he headed it over his own bar.

The resulting corner was met strongly by Dailly and it needed a block on the line from Collin to prevent it from reaching the back of his net.

Another good corner delivery had United stretched again but Gary Borrowdale's hurried volley was stopped in its tracks by Price.

A touch from Shelvey sent Reid clear on 22 minutes but he chose to shoot early and it was always rising high.

Carlisle kept Charlton quiet but the home side sprung into life again on 41 minutes when Richardson swung a deep free kick towards the far post. Collin held his position and he managed to claw it away from underneath his own bar with two strikers in close attendance.

Semedo was next to try his luck when a half clearance sat up in front of him 23 yards from goal. He struck it cleanly but Richard Keogh got his head in the way to divert it behind for a corner.

The set pieces were of high quality and another whipped delivery left Collin in no man's land as Sam Sodje rose to meet it and thunder it into the empty net.

A free kick on the edge of the Charlton box in time added on at the end of the first half gave Carlisle hope but it was a poor one from Clayton and it ricocheted away off the solid wall. Tom Taiwo stepped forward to hit it first time but he was leaning back and Randolph was never going to be troubled.

Half Time: Addicks 1 - 0 United

Charlton started in attacking mood again but Shelvey spurned a good opening on 48 minutes when he carried the ball forward towards the edge of the box. He had Sodje in support but he went for the shot, and he popped it high into the stands.

Nicky Forster went down in the area under a challenge from Kane moments later but the Referee rightly waved play on as the blue shirts got the ball clear.

Good passing involving Price, Thirlwell and Marshall opened up the previously solid Addicks defence but Clayton was leaning back for the header and he sent it into his own fans behind the goal.

Jason Price skipped into the Charlton area on 54 minutes and he felt that he had been fouled as the challenge came in to stop him from making his shot. Again play was waved on.

Clayton eventually got a telling cross into the box but a strong hand from Randolph took it off Keogh's head. Paul Thirlwell then shanked a difficult volley over the bar as United enjoyed a better spell, but the Addicks defended deep and smothered the threats.

United thought they'd equalised on 64 minutes when Clayton touched the ball into the path of Thirlwell. He kept his head over the volley and Jason Price wheeled away to celebrate as he touched it in, but the moment was cut short as the assistant raised his flag.

Shelvey put his toe end to a goal mouth scramble as the Addicks tried to reassert themselves, and Tony Kane had to keep his head as he came under pressure from two opposing attackers.

Kane was at the heart of it again on 76 minutes when a dipping cross fell right in front of goal. He had to slide in to prevent Bailey from converting what would have been a simple chance. A scramble followed but Shelvey somehow missed what was an open goal as he got his header all wrong.

Akpo Sodje then had a goal chalked off for offside as the pressure mounted, and Aldred had to block as the dangerous Shelvey once again danced through the challenges to make himself a shooting opportunity.

Adam Collin parried an Akpo Sodje shot from a tight angle as Charlton finished strongly, and the big striker swept his second effort wide as he appeared to be caught in two minds as to what to do with it.

Therry Racon was then guilty of poor finishing as he dragged one well wide form the edge of the area, and Ryan Bowman had a brief sight of goal at the other end as he volleyed a Horwood cross over the bar from 12-yards.

Goals

Charlton - S Sodje (43)

Bookings

Charlton - Semedo (21)

United - Thirlwell (38), Dobie (42)

Teams  

Charlton Athletic - Randolph, Richardson, Semedo, Shelvey (Mooney 71), Racon, Sam, S Sodje, Reid (Bailey 69), Dailly, Borrowdale, Forster (A Sodje 69). Subs (not used) - Warner, Llera, Wagsatff, Solly.

Carlisle United - Collin, Kane, Keogh, Aldred, Horwood, Dobie, Taiwo, Thirlwell (Bowman 81), Marshall, Clayton, Price (Madine 67). Subs (not used) - Pidgeley, Raven, Kavanagh, Rothery.

Away fans - tbc