Our Under-23s were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic on Monday afternoon.

Frank Mulhern netted what looked to be the winner seven minutes from time, twisting his way into the area before slotting a composed finish beyond Dimitar Mitov, but the visitors managed to grab an equaliser within just two minutes through Reeco Hacket-Fairchild to leave Thorp Arch with a share of the spoils.

Chances were few-and-far-between during a largely uneventful first half, with 26 minutes passing before the game’s first effort on target, as Mitov held Mulhern’s low strike from the edge of the area.

At the opposite end, Bailey Peacock-Farrell was alert to make a strong block at the near post to keep out Karian Ahearne-Grant’s effort from a tight angle, before an altercation on the stroke of half-time resulted in yellow cards being shown to Billy Whitehouse Charlton’s Mikhail Kennedy as the sides went in goalless at the break.

Peacock-Farrell made another important block to deny Ahearne-Grant during the early stages of the second half, while Tom Pearce and Conor Shaughnessy threatened with efforts from range for the United youngsters.

Peacock-Farrell was then at full-stretch to turn behind a strike from Addicks substitute Louis-Michael Yamfam, before Mulhern’s superb solo effort broke the deadlock in favour of Jason Blunt’s side with his third goal of the season so far.

But the lead proved to be short-lived as Charlton snatched a point through Hacket-Fairchild's close-range effort off the underside of the crossbar which was adjudged to have crossed the line by the linesman on the far side.

United Under-23s team: Peacock-Farrell, Whitehouse, Vann, M Taylor, Pearce, Oduor, Shaughnessy, Shackleton (Stokes 60), J McKay, Mulhern, Wilks (Knight 69 (Nicell 77)). Subs not used: Huffer, Kitching.