Charlton Athletic return to League One action after a fortnight of cup business when they host Cheltenham Town at The Valley under the lights on Friday night.

The Addicks need to get their playoff push back on track after a poor start to the season, whereas Town will be hoping to improve on a 15th-placed finish last season and break into the top half.

Match preview

Goals from Steven Sessegnon and Albie Morgan looked to have booked Charlton's place in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday before a 97th-minute equaliser from Stockport County's Myles Hippolyte forced a replay to be played next Wednesday.

Following on from a youthful Addicks side exiting the EFL Trophy at Plymouth Argyle earlier in that week, Ben Garner's men really would have benefitted from a first victory since their second-round win in the FA Cup against non-league Coalville Town nearly a month ago.

Unfortunately for Charlton that late sucker punch delivered by Stockport means the Londoners are now winless in five in all competitions as they turn their attention back to third-tier action for the weekend at least.

Garner's side are languishing in 14th in the League One standings, six points away from sixth-placed Barnsley despite their ambitions for promotion this season after disappointing campaigns in the past two years.

All is not well at The Valley off the pitch also, with owner Thomas Sandgaard facing increasing pressure from supporters and even manager Garner, who recently claimed he has not been given the financial backing he expected when he arrived from Swindon Town in the summer.

Cheltenham were victims of an FA Cup upset in the first round after being defeated on home soil by seventh-tier Alvechurch, but have responded well in recent times to that shocking result at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

The Robins are unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions, earning a respectable point at high-flying Ipswich Town, beating Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers at home and sneaking past Forest Green Rovers in the EFL Trophy on penalties last Tuesday.

Championship-linked Alfie May netted the only goal of the game against Wycombe in Cheltenham's last League One fixture, and although the 29-year-old is not currently scoring at a rate that attracted attention from higher up the Football League in the summer, the Englishman is still the club's leading marksmen with four strikes.

After winning League Two in the 2020-21 campaign and regaining their third-tier status last season, the aim now will be to see how far 43-year-old Wade Elliott can take the Robins in his first spell as a senior head coach, with three points at The Valley on Friday night enough to leapfrog their hosts.

Despite Cheltenham arguably having lower ambitions as a club than their South London opponents on Friday, the Gloucestershire-based side have managed to go unbeaten in the last three meetings against Charlton and ran out 2-1 victors when they last visited the Addicks over a year ago.

Team News

Charlton are hopeful that left-back Sessegnon will be available for Friday night after being forced off within 70 minutes last weekend due to a tight hamstring, an issue manager Garner is praying was only caused by cramp.

Chuks Aneke started up front for the Addicks against Stockport as Jayden Stockley served the first of his three-match ban for violent conduct, with the ex-Birmingham City man giving Garner's side a focal point and staking his claim to start his first league match this season against the Robins.

Ashley Maynard-Brewer is set to continue in goal for the hosts with Ghanaian Jojo Wollacott sidelined until late December due to a broken finger and the subsequent surgery, although Craig MacGillivray may be back in contention for the spot between the sticks after delayed concussion over the past few weeks.

Cheltenham's forward May should get another start against the Addicks as he builds up his fitness following a return from injury, with that ankle issue keeping the striker out for nearly two months so far this season.

George Lloyd did not make the matchday squad as the Robins beat Wycombe in their last league fixture, but boss Elliott has reassured supporters there are no injury concerns with the 22-year-old as he looks to add to his six League One starts this campaign.

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Maynard-Brewer; Clare, Lavelle, Inniss, Sessegnon; Rak-Sakyi, Dobson, Fraser, Blackett-Taylor; Aneke, Kirk

Cheltenham Town possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Long, Taylor, Raglan; Broom, Bonds, Sercombe, Williams, Olayinka; Nlundulu, May

We say: Charlton Athletic 1-2 Cheltenham Town

Charlton were seconds away from passage to the third round of the FA Cup last weekend before a last-minute equaliser from Stockport, with the Addicks' defensive record showing no signs of improving any point soon.

Cheltenham have put that awful loss against Alvechurch behind them by going three unbeaten and could be on for another win at The Valley on Friday night.

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