Football | Charlton Athletic 1 - 0 Watford

A dramatic start to the season for Charlton Athletic

Harvey Knibbs struck deep into stoppage time to give Charlton a deserved 1-0 victory over Watford, marking their return to the Championship in perfect fashion.

Author | Paul H

Stadium | The Valley

Charlton Athletic corner

Knibbs, the forward who signed from Reading last week, reacted smartly to fire home from close range after Lloyd Jones’ header from a corner dropped into his path, sending The Valley into jubilation. Watford, under new head coach Paulo Pezzolano, struggled to fashion clear openings throughout.

A closer look at what happened

Back in the second tier for the first time in more than five years, Charlton began brightly. Watford goalkeeper Egil Selvik was forced into action inside three minutes, pushing away Jones’ effort from eight yards. Rob Apter, who had created that early chance, later came close himself with a low, left-footed strike that fizzed just wide from the edge of the box. Jones was denied again before the break when his header from Apter’s free-kick was kept out by Selvik.

Watford showed more intent after the interval. Mamadou Doumbia’s cross flashed dangerously across goal, and the visitors might have conceded a penalty when Jeremy Ngakia appeared to foul in his own box. Charlton continued to press, with Charlie Kelman seeing a close-range shot blocked and Sonny Carey’s angled effort stopped by the busy Selvik.

READ MORE | Championship 25/26 season

Hector Kyprianou went closest for Watford, heading over from Ngakia’s cross, while Apter remained a threat, curling narrowly wide late on. The visitors had their own penalty appeal waved away when substitute Nestory Irankunda tangled with Thomas Kaminski in stoppage time.

It was a glorious day at The Valley

Moments later, the decisive goal arrived. Conor Coventry’s corner from the right was headed back across goal by Jones, and Knibbs, scorer of 16 goals last season, made no mistake, side-footing in from six yards to cap a winning start to Charlton’s Championship campaign.

Rob Apter

While Knibbs will rightly take the headlines for his stoppage-time winner, it was another debutant, Rob Apter, who provided much of Charlton’s spark.

The summer arrival from Blackpool delivered the crosses for both of Lloyd Jones’s first-half chances and came close himself on several occasions. Operating down the right, he was a constant menace to Watford’s defence.

Making his first appearance at Championship level, the 22-year-old looked entirely at home, despite having only one full season in League One behind him. His career to date has largely been spent out on loan, with spells at Tranmere Rovers, Scunthorpe United and Chester, as well as in both divisions of the National League.