Charlton ease past Walsall

Charlton reached the third round of the FA Cup by thrashing League Two promotion contenders Walsall 4-0.

Gassan Ahadme’s header and Matty Godden’s roll into an empty net put the League One Addicks on course for victory in the opening 30 minutes.

And Ahadme and Tyreece Campbell rounded off a comprehensive win with goals in the last five minutes.

The 16th-minute opener represented the first moment of quality, a slick passage seeing Conor Coventry wrap his foot around a cross from the right corner of the box for Ahadme to head home.

Terry Taylor then forced a single-handed punched save from Walsall goalkeeper Tommy Simkin as the visitors pushed for a second.

And it arrived in the 28th minute when Brandon Comley’s roll back to Simkin was cut out by Godden who rounded the stranded keeper to score.

Harry Williams headed over a corner at close range for Walsall who then pinned back Charlton for the first 15 minutes of the second half, albeit without goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer facing a meaningful test.

Ahadme sealed victory five minutes from time, nodding into the empty net when Simkin punched a free-kick up rather than out.

And the fourth came three minutes into added time as substitute Campbell turned in a cross.