Charlton Athletic made it back-to-back wins in League One by getting the better of Lincoln City to a 2-1 scoreline at The Valley.

The Addicks went into half time two goals to the good, thanks to finishes from Scott Fraser and Corey Blackett-Taylor.

The former made it two in two games by heading home Miles Leaburn's cross to open the scoring before turning provider to slide Blackett-Taylor through to power past Carl Rushworth into the roof of the net with his weaker left foot.

The Imps made things interesting when Danny Mandroiu halved the deficit in the closing exchanges, with the 24-year-old coming closest to snatching an unlikely point with a low drive that went narrowly wide of Craig MacGillivray's bottom right corner.

Alan Curbishley reacted to the result as a studio pundit on CharltonTV.

He said: "We said at half time 'it's a difficult scoreline sometimes'.

"We never came out and got that third and you're always thinking if they go and nick a goal -  we should have this game comfortably won and now we might only get a point.

"Near the end when that flashed past the post (Mandroiu's late attempt) , you thought that.

"It was so important today to get the result, after the Portsmouth game, we're in the top half and we're looking upwards.

"I don't think we need to be looking behind us anymore.

"Another home game coming up on Saturday, but we had to get this one done."

There were nerves, in picking up just their seventh league win of the season, but on the whole the Addicks looked the more likely side for the majority of the match.

The Verdict 

 

 

The Addicks will look forward to a trip to Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening, and it will be interesting to see what side Dean Holden selects, after the 5-4-1 low block that was successful against Brighton and Hove Albion in the last round.

Saturday's victory extended Charlton's cushion on the relegation zone to nine points, a stress-relieving start to Holden's tenure in the dugout and one he needed, having only been hired on a contract until the end of the season.

Corey Blackett-Taylor is a very frustrating player at times with his decision making, but, when onsong, the 25-year-old is one of the hardest wingers to defend against in the division, it is no surprise that getting more out of him has resulted in climbing the table.

The lack of a first league clean sheet in the dugout will be something that nags away at Holden ahead of hosting Barnsley next weekend.