Sutton made a tame exit from the Bristol Street Motors Trophy as Charlton recorded a relatively comfortable victory to go through from the group as runners-up to Crawley. U’s had their moments, a bright spell just before half time seeing Harry Smith go close with a header, and for a brief period after Charlton had gone two up early in the second half when Smith and Omari Patrick might have provided an immediate response, but the League One side had made sure of their progress with a quarter of the game still to go.

Sutton’s side showed several changes from Saturday’s draw with Tranmere, Omari Patrick starting alongside Harry Smith with Tope Fadahunsi on the left, while there were places on the substitutes’ bench for academy prospects Cameron Sullivan and Liam Moore.

In front of a small crowd in a large stadium which gave the game the atmosphere of a reserve match, despite the best efforts of nearly 300 Sutton supporters, Charlton might have been in front inside the first ten minutes when Miles Leaburn went through and was left with just Steve Arnold to beat, but he pulled his shot against the near post with Scott Fraser shooting over from the rebound. Fraser then shot past Arnold but saw the effort ruled out for offside,  but the first goal wasn’t long in coming as Corey Blackett-Taylor advanced on the left, beat Ryan Jackson on the outside and shot across Arnold in to the net.

Fraser put a free kick just wide midway through the half after Rob Milsom’s foul on Nathan Asiimwe, the opening again created by Blackett-Taylor’s pace on the left, but Sutton asked more questions of the home defence as the half went on and Harry Smith headed in to the side netting from a Milsom corner. Just before half time, though, Arnold had to save from an angled Tyreece Campbell shot and, after Dominic Gape had been forced off injured and replaced by Harry Beautyman, the substitute’s first action was to be penalised for a tackle on Campbell that gave Charlton the softest of penalties. U’s escaped, though, as Blackett-Taylor’s spot kick came back off the foot of the post.

Sutton barely had the chance to make the most of that reprieve at the start of the second half, though, as Campbell just kept the ball in on the left touch line and laid it back to Conor McGrandles, whose shot deflected off Goodliffe to leave Arnold stranded. Sutton immediately had a chance to reduce the deficit as Josh Coley ran on to a misplaced defensive header and set up Smith, whose disappointing shot was easily saved. Omari Patrick then raced clear on the right but saw his shot well saved at the near post, but Sutton suffered a second injury blow as Milsom was injured trying to prevent Leaburn getting in a shot and was replaced by Louis John.

Charlton made a treble substitution on the hour, including bringing on the division’s leading scorer Alfie May, and within seven minutes Sutton had the same feeling as a lot of League One defences have had in recent seasons as he ensured Charlton’s progress after Beautyman was dispossessed by Campbell, who put Fraser through to cross for May to score with a diving header and set up a last twenty minutes in which the home side saw the game out comfortably.

Sutton: S Arnold, R Jackson, R Milsom(sub L John 58), O Sowunmi, B Goodliffe, C Clay, J Coley (sub C N’Guessan 72), D Gape(sub H Beautyman 45), H Smith (sub C Dundas 72), T Fadahunsi, O Patrick. Subs n/u B House, C Sullivan, L Moore.

Charlton: S Walker, N Asiimwe, T Edun(sub L Jones 61), C McGrandles(sub G Dobson 61), L Ness, T Watson, T Campbell, L Watson, C Blackett-Taylor(sub A May 61), S Fraser(sub H Kedwell 76), M Leaburn(sub S Tedic 76). Subs n/u P Adegoke, C Campbell.

Referee: Carl Brook

Attendance: 1,377(294 away)