Charlton Academy 1-2 Pompey Academy

Our academy side kept up the good start to the season with yet another win - once again coming from behind to do so, and right at the death!

This is the report from the Pompey Site...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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LATE WINNER FOR ACADEMY

Charlton Academy 1 Pompey Academy 2

Marlon Pack scored right at the death to complete an enthralling Pompey comeback at Sparrows Lane.

The Blues were trailing to Steve Lozano-Calderon's first-half strike but Nadir Ciftci's leveller and Pack's late winner - in an absorbing finale where the game could have gone either way - ensured the points would be coming back to the south coast.

Charlton will no doubt be feeling bitter about Pompey's late revival. They had the chances to kill off the visitors but failed to take them.

Lozano-Calderon put the Londoners ahead on 40 minutes after Harry Arter's pass had found him in space.

But either side of the interval they could - and perhaps should - have effectively wrapped the game up.

Immediately after Lozano-Calderon's strike Arter looked certain to add a second but he completely mistimed his kick, allowing Liam O'Brien to make a comfortable save.

Half Time: Charlton 1 Pompey 0

Then five minutes after the restart, Tamer Tuna broke from the halfway line but, with the Blues defence appealing in vain for offside, he appeared uncertain and sent a weak shot straight into O'Brien's arms.

That could have been curtains for Pompey but instead they gathered strength from their narrow escapes.

Pack's corner beat everyone but Ciftci managed to rescue the ball and find Tom Kilbey, who headed narrowly over the bar.

Then Ellis Martin's header from Gael N'Lundulu's deep cross was cleared off the line as Pompey pressed for an equaliser.

Charlton still had chances of their own with Kilbey making a last-gasp challenge to dispossess Joe Carter, while Alex Stavrinou also went close.

But with 12 minutes remaining, Pompey made their hosts pay when Martin broke down the left and sent in the perfect cross for CIFTCI to head home.

That goal set up an exciting end to the game. Ciftci latched onto N'Lundulu's through ball but saw his shot come back off the post.

At the other end, Carl Jenkinson's ferociously-struck effort was superbly stopped by O'Brien before the Charlton defender made a great goal-line clearance to deny N'Lundulu.

But with just seconds remaining, Martin produced one last telling cross to allow PACK to seal a dramatic victory.

Pompey: O'Brien; Gregory, Woodford, Reynolds, Ryan (Hughes 46); N'Lundulu, Pack, Kilbey, Martin; Ciftci, M Smith (Du Chattelier 77)
Subs not used: T Smith, Navas-Alors, Castles

Charlton: Lee, Morris, Jenkinson, Stavrinou, Sinfield, McGinty, Tuna, Davisson, Perkins (O'Shea 40), Arter (Godfrey 61), Lozano-Calderon (Carter 61)
Sub not used: Jensen

Referee: Mr R. Allum

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