Grimsby Town 0 Charlton Athletic 2

DANNY MURPHY opened his Charlton account as the Addicks struggled through to round three of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night.

But Alan Curbishley admitted he was a relieved man as Charlton found it hard against the League 2 side. He said: “The conditions were difficult but I felt that their players were bringing the ball down too easily.

“We knew it would be difficult but they put us under pressure and had chances. I wasn’t happy with the way we played but don’t take anything away from Grimsby.

“It was a superb free-kick by Danny Murphy and a great finish by Jeffers but, apart from a few good chances at the end for us, they had the better of the game.”

Murphy got Charlton off to a flying start as he found the net with a superb curling free-kick from just outside the area after 13 minutes.

But then Grimsby bombarded the visitors. Ashley Sestanovich fired a shot of the crossbar and keeper Dean Kiely had to be at his best to keep out shots from Andy Parkinson and Justin Whittle.

Addicks lost both Luke Young and Jon Fortune early in the second half with injuries but Addicks killed the game off 12 minutes from the end.

Substitute Kevin Lisbie crossed to Jeffers who fired across Grimsby keeper Anthony Williams.

Charlton: Kiely, Young (Kishishev 46 mins), Hreidarsson, Perry, Fortune (Euell 56), El Karkouri, Murphy, Stuart, Hughes, Jeffers, Johansson (Lisbie 68).