Sam Dalby’s sixth goal of the season proved decisive as Wanderers returned to winning ways in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory away at Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night.
Dalby’s strike inside the opening 20 minutes at The Valley secured Steven Schumacher’s men an excellent three points in the capital.
Max Lott made his first start for the Whites, whilst Akin Famewo and Luca Stephenson came into the starting line-up in place of Gaizka Larrazabal, Ben Davies and Thierry Gale.
Both teams had chances early on in South-East London, with Charlie Kelman’s strike across the turf saved comfortably by Jack Bonham before captain Josh Sheehan saw his strike from distance go narrowly wide of Will Mannion’s right-post.
Bonham was called into action minutes later as he kept out Dan McNamara’s right-footed volley from a tight angle from Tyreece Campbell’s lofted diagonal pass.
Wanderers led on 17 minutes after Dalby pounced on Nathanial Chalobah’s loose pass to race clear and slot his left-footed strike under Mannion and into the bottom left-corner.
Towards the end of the first-half, Chris Forino did well to thwart Karlan Grant's low shot before Harvey Knibbs headed Grant’s cross off target for the Addicks.
The Whites began the second-half brightly, with debutant Lott seeing his header from Samuel Iling-Junior’s cross blocked, before Atsuki Ito’s follow-up strike was deflected behind by McNamara’s challenge.
On the hour mark, Kelman met Campbell’s cross from the left to guide a header just past Bonham’s left-hand post for Nathan Jones’ side.
Schumacher made a double change with 62 minutes played, with Gale and Larrazabal coming on in place of Lott and Iling-Junior.
Conor Coventry then curled a right-footed effort around Bonham’s post from distance, as Charlton pushed for an equaliser.
Charlton were awarded an indirect free-kick by referee Steve Martin after Bonham handled Sheehan’s backpass. The Whites skipper threw himself in the way of Knibbs’ attempt from very close-range, injuring himself in the process, with Wanderers’ number eight replaced by Ruben Rodrigues.
Schumacher made a late change, introducing Davies for Ito with six minutes of normal time to play.
Substitute Gale then had two chances late on for Wanderers, forcing home goalkeeper Mannion into low saves.
Campbell then cut inside on the left to whip a fierce strike across goal which went wide. Wanderers navigated the six minutes of additional time to secure an excellent triumph on the road.
Wanderers are back on their travels again on Friday night when they visit Derby County, kick-off 8pm.
Charlton Athletic: Mannion, Bell, Koumetio, Jones, McNamara (Alli 77), Coventry, Chalobah (Leaburn 45), Campbell, Knibbs (Rankin-Costello 77), Grant (Carey 84), Kelman (Godden 62).
Substitutes not used: Okonkwo, Bindon, Mesik, Skipp
Wanderers: Bonham, Conway, Famewo, Forino, Stephenson, Sheehan © (Rodrigues 74), Simons, Lott (Gale 62),Ito (Davies 84) Iling-Junior (Larrazabal 62), Dalby.
Substitutes not used: Harrington, Brunt, Dong, Bair, Watson.
Goal: Dalby, 18
Referee: Steve Martin