Charlton Athletic 0 Ipswich Town 1
Impressive Ipswich took full advantage of the new five-second goalkeeping rule to earn a deserved Coca-Cola Cup first round first leg win which should have been greater over disappointing Charlton.
Ipswich had already gone close through James Scowcroft and Paul Mason when referee David Orr, a late replacement for Mike Pierce, controversially penalised Australian goalkeeper Andy Petterson in the 15th minute for holding the ball for more than five seconds.
Mason passed the resulting six-yard free kick to Mark Venus, who duly hammered the ball home from close range.
From that point on, Charlton's game went from bad to worse and they were second best in every department in the opening half.
Before the break, Bobby Petta and Mick Stockwell both missed excellent chances to increase Ipswich's lead and Mason had another good effort saved by Petterson.
Charlton had more possession after the break but made no impression on the solid, quick-tackling Ipswich defence which comfortably kept its second clean sheet in four days.
Visiting goalkeeper Richard Wright had not been seriously tested throughout the match and Ipswich were again on the offensive in the dying seconds when Neil Gregory and Stockwell both missed sitters with the Charlton defence in complete disarray.
Brown
Nicholls
