Charlton 3 (Jombatti 31 o.g, Taylor 70, Sarr 80) Wycombe 2 (Williams 6, Cowan-Hall 89).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
While the off-field struggle for Charlton's soul rages on amid tales of vindictive economies designed apparently to demoralise a dwindling staff, Lee Bowyer's squad continues to scrap for him like junkyard dogs. Winning ugly is what the newly-appointed manager called this victory over spirited and slightly unlucky Wycombe but beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. This one, while unlovely to the aesthetes, made handsome viewing for the philistines.
Behind early on to Randell Williams' cleverly taken goal, Bowyer's babes shook off the blow, stuck together and fought back. Rising above the spiteful ploys of an owner who hasn't been seen in South East London since 2014 in a stadium which, frankly, could do with a good wash, they prevailed over likeable Gareth Ainsworth's visitors from the less than football-daft county of Buckinghamshire.
During the opening half hour of a first half mostly dominated by Wycombe, Charlton's prospects seemed unpromising. They had yet to switch on when Jason McCarthy's alert throw-in made space for Curtis Thompson to set up a shooting chance for Williams. From just outside the penalty area, the Watford loanee found the bottom left corner with an effort containing just enough curl to beat the full length dive of debutant Jed Steer, whose first meaningful touch as an Addick was to fish the ball out of his net. Behind the far goal, the celebrations of over 1,000 Chairboys and, of course, Chairgirls chortled their surprise and delight. In the home tribunes, meanwhile, the murmur of growing irritation swelled.
It was important, of course, not to fall further in arrears, a disaster which Steer's save from Williams' header and the block made by Patrick Bauer to keep out Bryn Morris's rebound attempt, narrowly averted. Gaining a tentative foothold in a game already passing them by, Charlton turned it on its head with an equaliser featuring good play and equally good fortune.
Described by Bowyer as the best crosser in the club, aggressive wingback Lewis Page was given the opportunity to justify his gaffer's accolade when found by Lyle Taylor on the left flank. Brushing past Dominic Gape's challenge, Page whipped over a hard, low centre designed to cause panic in Wanderers' six-yard area. Sliding in to deal with the danger, Sido Jombatti inadvertently slashed the ball into his own net.
Relieved to be level, Charlton were suddenly favourites to win. Before the break, Nicky Ajose's adroit pass sent Karlan Grant through to confront keeper Ryan Allsop, who won their one-on-one duel by blocking the dramatically improved forward's shot with his legs. The pressure was now on the visitors and Taylor's spectacular overhead shot, engineered for him by Grant's fine work on the right, grazed the crossbar.
The regular concession of needless free kicks dangerously close to the penalty area was Bowyer's main concern, with Joe Jacobson's low free kick early in the second half threaded through the wall but fielded competently by Steer. It was the early introduction of Ben Reeves and George Lapslie, however, which sealed Wycombe's fate. Reeves replaced the off-colour Ajose while Lapslie stepped up for Darren Pratley, booked for the second successive week for a cynical foul on Williams. Both substitutes made game-changing contributions, Reeves with his perceptive link-up vision, Lapslie with his usual combination of indefatigable industry and often overlooked skill.
The Chairboys were far from finished, though, and when Millwall loan signing Fred Onyedinma's header, from Jacobson's cross, bypassed Steer, Bauer was on hand to clear off the line. At the other end, Bauer met Lapslie's inviting delivery but headed over the bar before Allsop kept his side level by beating Taylor to Steer's huge punt as it cleared Jombatti's straining head, surviving a painful collision to clear the danger.
Eventually the Addicks broke Wycombe's resistance with a pair of close range finishes. The first was plotted by Joe Aribo's pass to Grant, whose turn of speed prised the visitors open through the left channel. The speedster's low centre was returned beyond the far post by Bauer and forced home from a yard out by Taylor. The clinching goal - or so it seemed at the time - was claimed by Naby Sarr, who bullied Reeves' astute free kick over the line at the second attempt. With only 10 minutes left, that appeared to be that.
Not a bit of it, as it turned out. Seconds before regulation time expired, lively substitute Paris Cowan-Hall's terrific header powered Jacobson's outswinging left wing corner past Steer. Five added minutes were immediately advertised, bringing with them their customary angst and torment. To be honest, you're better off looking elsewhere for an accurate report of the final knockings because your normally cool, urbane reporter spent them in a steadily subsiding position under his press seat. Sorry about that but I dropped my pen.
Charlton: Steer, Solly, Bauer, Pearce, Page, Sarr, Pratley (Lapslie 56), Aribo, Ajose (Reeves 47), Grant, Taylor (Dijksteel 90). Not used: Phillips, Marshall, Vetokele, Morgan. Booked: Pratley, Sarr, Steer.
Wycombe: Allsop, Jombatti, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Mackail-Smith (Onyedinma 57), Morris, Thompson, Akinfenwa (Paris-Hall 79), Williams, McCarthy (Kashket 63). Not used: Kalambay, Saunders, Bean, Harriman. Booked: Jombatti
Referee: Graham Salisbury. Att: 10,358 (1078 visiting).