Charlton Athletic 4 v Barnet 1

I'm just back from the pub am am feeling very good. The beer has helped but the match was what has created the feel-good factor.

Early on it looked like a potential disaster. The bulk of the home support was squeezed into the West Lower and with so many people unfamiliar with the seating arrangements, there were herds of people entering and leaving the same exits trying to find their seats. The crowd may have been relatively small at 4,522 but there were still queues for ticket-holding fans to get in. To add to all that, we even went a goal down on ten minutes after Nicky Bailey gave away a square ball across our box. Barnet seized the errant pass and John O'Flynn was put in to beat Elliot from an acute angle.

We started with Elliot, Youga, Basey, Dailly, Solly, Bailey, Spring, Racon, McLeod and Tuna in a 4-4-2 formation. As Suze pointed out, Spring must qualify as one of the "six" despite only starting three games previously, unless they count coming on as substitute, in which McLeod has the edge. Either way, we looked very relaxed this evening, even after conceding the early goal. McLeod levelled pretty quickly after Barnet's goal from a deflected drive but it was clear during the first half that a number of our pros felt very comfortable with this level of opposition. Youga, Dailly and Spring in particular were very casual on the ball and did things I don't believe they would have risked in a league match.

It was good to see Basey, Solly, Wagstaff and Tuna start and it was a very successful evening in terms of how they acquitted themselves. Basey was solid at centre-half and when he switched to full-back to accommodate Mambo as a central defensive substitution. Solly and Wagstaff provided all the attacking impetus down the right in the first half and Tuna, although understandably hesitant, worked hard and got his reward with the second Charlton goal which clearly meant as much to him as anyone else in the ground and you could see the improvement in his play after that.

Two-one at half-time was probably fair although Barnet had some decent players on show and played their part in making a game of it. The left back, Kenny Gillet caught my eye, as did Micah Hyde on the left wing.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Stavrinou came on for a tired-looking Racon who was getting little protection from Matt Spring and Shelvey replaced Tuna. Phil Parkinson turned to the crowd as Tuna was withdrawn and appealed for a big round of applause which probably wasn't needed but went a long way towards making it a special full debut for Tamer.

Shortly afterwards we won a free-kick 20 yards out and Nicky Bailey atoned for his early defensive blunder by smashing home the shot into the keepers top-left in front of an empty Covered End which was worth the £5 entrance money on its own. It was a peach a strike and I am not sure any keeper would have kept it out even if they had managed to get a hand to it. It certainly makes you wonder why we don't go direct more often.

At this point Barnet knew they were beaten and there was an inevitability about the fourth. In many ways it mirrored the second goal against Walsall this season when Scott Wagstaff broke clear from midfield on the right and ran home to score. This time it was McLeod who provided the quick lay-off instead of Burton, but the run in was the same. The finish was better though as Wagstaff clearly remembered the drill and had the confidence to fire high into the top corner, scraping the bar as it went in.

Four goals and the 4,000 Addicks fans were sated. Credit must also go to the visiting Bees who took close to 500, far more than I gave them pre-match credit for and who cheered their side throughout.

All-in-all a very successful evening and Phil Parkinson will be the happiest man having won at a canter whilst handing more games to emerging players and trying different tactical approaches. Roll-on the 9.30 draw for Round 3 (Quarters!) on Soccer AM on Saturday. I am liking the Johnstone's paint Trophy and the vast majority of those present will be back for the next match if we are drawn at home.