Luke Varney scored a hat-trick on his return from injury as Charlton's reserves went goal crazy against Southampton on Monday night.
A goal behind inside the first minute, the Addicks went on to net eight times in their first home match of the season at Stonebridge Road.
The two sides had shared six goals by half-time, but there was even more to come in the second half when Saints defender Jamie Hatch was sent off for deliberate handball after 52 minutes.
Varney scored from the resulting penalty to complete his triple (3, 45 and 52), and Sam Long (55) and a James Walker double (73 and 89) added to goals by Aswad Thomas (18) and Dean Sinclair (49).
In terms of his fitness, striker Varney played 76 minutes of the bizarre encounter, which saw Charlton come from behind three times in front of watching first-team manager Alan Pardew.
Addicks coach Mark Kinsella named a youthful side for the visit of the Saints, with Callum Christie between the sticks and Long in the centre of defence, but some experience was in hand in the shape of Varney, Sinclair and Therry Racon.
The only experienced heads in the Saints line-up were Spaniard Inigo Idiakez and Czech striker Mario Licka, but Southampton's youth set-up, which has developed Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale in recent years, supplied the remainder of the team.
And it was one such graduate who gave the Saints the lead after only 21 seconds.
Josh Dutton-Black's long cross from the left fell to Simon Gillett at the far post, and even though his first time volley was blocked by Thomas, the rebound fell kindly for the midfielder who gleefully rammed the ball past Christie.
The lead lasted all of 30 seconds though, as the Addicks hit straight back.
Centre-back Rhys Coleman received the ball from the kick-off and his long ball found Varney, who slotted a left-footed shot past Saints keeper Matej Rondos for his first goal of the evening.
The Addicks' £2.5m man could have had another a minute later but he dragged a shot from a similar position following a Sinclair pass.
The game had got off to a frantic start and Southampton re-took the lead after 10 minutes. Dutton-Black once again found space on the left before cutting the ball back to Adam Lallana, who coolly slotted the ball into the net off the post.
As much as they looked like scoring goals, Southampton always looked likely to concede sas well, though, and the Addicks got back on level terms in the 18th minute thanks to Thomas.
Harry Arter's corner from the left was planted straight on to the head of the teenage left-back and he headed powerfully past Rondos to even the scores for a second time.
After an entertaining first 20 minutes Charlton started to dictate the play and Southampton defenders Hatch and Kyle Davies were both cautioned for rash challenges.
Despite dominating possession the Addicks could not create any chances, though, and Chris Saunders was booked for a late challenge on Cedric Baseya that resulted in the big striker being replaced by Matthew Paterson. From the resulting free-kick, deadball specialist Idiakez forced Christie into a fine sprawling stop.
Substitute Paterson was straight into the action and in the 40th minute he won a penalty when he was brought down in the box by a combination of Thomas and Long. Idiakez stepped up to nonchalantly convert the spot-kick to put Southampton ahead for the third time.
Buoyed by their latest goal Southampton finished the first half strongly and young goalkeeper Christie made two fantastic stops, one from a Paterson toe-poke and the other a flying dive to prevent Lallana getting a second goal of the evening with a bullet header.
But just when it looked as if the Addicks would trail at the break, a counter-attack resulted in Sinclair threading a ball through to Varney and the striker made no mistake when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Usually games with lots of goals in the first half become tighter and more defensive in the second period but not this one!
It took all of four second-half minutes for another goal to arrive as Sinclair found space in the area and drove a low right-footed shot past Rondos from the right corner of the penalty area.
Then, only a few minutes later, it was 5-3 as Varney completed his hat-trick. An Arter free-kick caused chaos in the Saints goalmouth and in the resulting scramble Hatch was adjudged to have handled on his own goalline and received a straight red from referee Hopkins.
No one was going to take the ball away from Varney as he strode towards the penalty spot, and he despatched the ball into the net for his first hat-trick in Addicks colours.
Just as Charlton fans were drawing breath, their team scored a sixth. This time a Saunders cross from the right fell to Arter, whose header bounced down off the bar for Long to smash the ball in at the far post.
Arter was determined to get on the scoresheet and as space opened up due to Southampton's reduced numbers, the Republic of Ireland youth international struck the post after a great passing move involving Walker and Varney.
As the match passed the hour mark Southampton keeper Rondos was getting busier and busier, and in the 67th minute he pulled off a miraculous double save to deny Walker and then Scott Wagstaff from the rebound.
Southampton were putting up a brave fight despite being down to 10 men and in the 69th minute Mario Licka's burst into the box was halted by Thomas, but illegally according to referee Hopkins as he pointed to the spot for the third time in the match.
True to form, Idiakez stepped up and emphatically struck the ball past Christie.
Just as the visitors thought they might be getting back into the game they were hit again by the Addicks' attack. This time it was Walker getting on the scoresheet as he followed up Wagstaff's shot when it came off the keeper.
As time ticked away there were still chances for both sides. Arter went close with some long range piledrivers while Lallana and Gillett went close for the Saints, with the latter forcing Christie into a smart save.
The industrious Racon also went close late on as he ran on to substitute Danny Uchechi's backheel, but his shot cannoned off the post before Rondos saved a point-blank effort from Uchechi after good work from Walker.
Of course, the Addicks still found time to score an eighth. A clever free-kick from Sinclair found Uchechi in space on the right side of the penalty area and his low cross was tapped home by Walker to complete what was an unbelievable game.
If this is what the Pontin's Holidays Combination Central is going to be like every week, fans will soon be flocking to Stonebridge Road.
I once played in a game that was 2-2 after just under five minutes. We went 2-0 up, then conceded two in the space of about thirty seconds. Oddly, the game finished 2-2!
LOL - I best come clean fella - I'm not actually Leroy Ambrose...
He was the first player I liked when I was a kid - not because he was any good (he wasn't - just ask anyone on here who remembers him) but because he had a wicked 'fro and was bloody quick. He was also a really, really nice fella - he signed my programme for me and we had a nice long chat after a game once.
Tell you what though - I did go to school with Ozzie Bayram's daughter (he used to play for Fisher)
Comments
Hope taking Varney off after 76 mins was only precautionary.
A goal behind inside the first minute, the Addicks went on to net eight times in their first home match of the season at Stonebridge Road.
The two sides had shared six goals by half-time, but there was even more to come in the second half when Saints defender Jamie Hatch was sent off for deliberate handball after 52 minutes.
Varney scored from the resulting penalty to complete his triple (3, 45 and 52), and Sam Long (55) and a James Walker double (73 and 89) added to goals by Aswad Thomas (18) and Dean Sinclair (49).
In terms of his fitness, striker Varney played 76 minutes of the bizarre encounter, which saw Charlton come from behind three times in front of watching first-team manager Alan Pardew.
Addicks coach Mark Kinsella named a youthful side for the visit of the Saints, with Callum Christie between the sticks and Long in the centre of defence, but some experience was in hand in the shape of Varney, Sinclair and Therry Racon.
The only experienced heads in the Saints line-up were Spaniard Inigo Idiakez and Czech striker Mario Licka, but Southampton's youth set-up, which has developed Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale in recent years, supplied the remainder of the team.
And it was one such graduate who gave the Saints the lead after only 21 seconds.
Josh Dutton-Black's long cross from the left fell to Simon Gillett at the far post, and even though his first time volley was blocked by Thomas, the rebound fell kindly for the midfielder who gleefully rammed the ball past Christie.
The lead lasted all of 30 seconds though, as the Addicks hit straight back.
Centre-back Rhys Coleman received the ball from the kick-off and his long ball found Varney, who slotted a left-footed shot past Saints keeper Matej Rondos for his first goal of the evening.
The Addicks' £2.5m man could have had another a minute later but he dragged a shot from a similar position following a Sinclair pass.
The game had got off to a frantic start and Southampton re-took the lead after 10 minutes. Dutton-Black once again found space on the left before cutting the ball back to Adam Lallana, who coolly slotted the ball into the net off the post.
As much as they looked like scoring goals, Southampton always looked likely to concede sas well, though, and the Addicks got back on level terms in the 18th minute thanks to Thomas.
Harry Arter's corner from the left was planted straight on to the head of the teenage left-back and he headed powerfully past Rondos to even the scores for a second time.
After an entertaining first 20 minutes Charlton started to dictate the play and Southampton defenders Hatch and Kyle Davies were both cautioned for rash challenges.
Despite dominating possession the Addicks could not create any chances, though, and Chris Saunders was booked for a late challenge on Cedric Baseya that resulted in the big striker being replaced by Matthew Paterson. From the resulting free-kick, deadball specialist Idiakez forced Christie into a fine sprawling stop.
Substitute Paterson was straight into the action and in the 40th minute he won a penalty when he was brought down in the box by a combination of Thomas and Long. Idiakez stepped up to nonchalantly convert the spot-kick to put Southampton ahead for the third time.
Buoyed by their latest goal Southampton finished the first half strongly and young goalkeeper Christie made two fantastic stops, one from a Paterson toe-poke and the other a flying dive to prevent Lallana getting a second goal of the evening with a bullet header.
But just when it looked as if the Addicks would trail at the break, a counter-attack resulted in Sinclair threading a ball through to Varney and the striker made no mistake when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Usually games with lots of goals in the first half become tighter and more defensive in the second period but not this one!
It took all of four second-half minutes for another goal to arrive as Sinclair found space in the area and drove a low right-footed shot past Rondos from the right corner of the penalty area.
Then, only a few minutes later, it was 5-3 as Varney completed his hat-trick. An Arter free-kick caused chaos in the Saints goalmouth and in the resulting scramble Hatch was adjudged to have handled on his own goalline and received a straight red from referee Hopkins.
No one was going to take the ball away from Varney as he strode towards the penalty spot, and he despatched the ball into the net for his first hat-trick in Addicks colours.
Just as Charlton fans were drawing breath, their team scored a sixth. This time a Saunders cross from the right fell to Arter, whose header bounced down off the bar for Long to smash the ball in at the far post.
Arter was determined to get on the scoresheet and as space opened up due to Southampton's reduced numbers, the Republic of Ireland youth international struck the post after a great passing move involving Walker and Varney.
As the match passed the hour mark Southampton keeper Rondos was getting busier and busier, and in the 67th minute he pulled off a miraculous double save to deny Walker and then Scott Wagstaff from the rebound.
Southampton were putting up a brave fight despite being down to 10 men and in the 69th minute Mario Licka's burst into the box was halted by Thomas, but illegally according to referee Hopkins as he pointed to the spot for the third time in the match.
True to form, Idiakez stepped up and emphatically struck the ball past Christie.
Just as the visitors thought they might be getting back into the game they were hit again by the Addicks' attack. This time it was Walker getting on the scoresheet as he followed up Wagstaff's shot when it came off the keeper.
As time ticked away there were still chances for both sides. Arter went close with some long range piledrivers while Lallana and Gillett went close for the Saints, with the latter forcing Christie into a smart save.
The industrious Racon also went close late on as he ran on to substitute Danny Uchechi's backheel, but his shot cannoned off the post before Rondos saved a point-blank effort from Uchechi after good work from Walker.
Of course, the Addicks still found time to score an eighth. A clever free-kick from Sinclair found Uchechi in space on the right side of the penalty area and his low cross was tapped home by Walker to complete what was an unbelievable game.
If this is what the Pontin's Holidays Combination Central is going to be like every week, fans will soon be flocking to Stonebridge Road.
Charlton: Christie; Saunders, A Thomas, Coleman, Long, Arter, Racon, Sinclair, Varney (Uchechi 76), Walker, Wagstaff.
Subs (not used): Woodman, Harkin, Yussuff, Solly.
Goals: Varney 1, 45, 52 (pen), Thomas 18, Sinclair 49, Long 55, Walker 73, 89.
Bookings: Saunders 33 (foul on Baseya), Racon 71 (foul on Licka).
Southampton: Rondos, Hatch, Thomson, Licka, Davies, James, Gillett, Lallana, Baseya (Paterson 37), Idiakez (Giallombardo 76), Dutton-Black (Gobern 81).
Sub (not used): Ranger.
Goals: Gillett 1, Lallana 11, Idiakez 40 (pen), 69 (pen).
Our keeper was Callum Christie apparently, not heard of him before .... on trial??
I thought it was the crowd. Good away following from Saints. Puts our reserve away crowds to shame. Our away support is rubbish, blah, blah, blah.
He's only 16 or 17. One of the academy lads, scholars or whatever they call them these days.
They were in my day, young man. ;o)
That's unreal. Has that ever happened before on a full size pitch under real rules I ask?
A 3-oclock kick off march '86
He was the first player I liked when I was a kid - not because he was any good (he wasn't - just ask anyone on here who remembers him) but because he had a wicked 'fro and was bloody quick. He was also a really, really nice fella - he signed my programme for me and we had a nice long chat after a game once.
Tell you what though - I did go to school with Ozzie Bayram's daughter (he used to play for Fisher)