A very young Charlton side exited the Checkatrade Trophy after losing 1-0 to Swansea at The Valley on Tuesday evening.
Adnan Maric fired the winner from outside the box early in the second-half.
The Addicks’ injury curse struck again, when Reeco Hackett-Fairchild limped out of the action in the first-half.
The game was played in front of a sparse Valley crowd that contained just 28 visiting fans.
Billy Clarke played for 77 minutes as he continued his comeback. Clarke – who was skipper for the night – spoke about his role at Mansfield ahead of the game:
”The manager wanted me to go in there, sit and break things up a little bit (at Mansfield_. I don’t know if he’s looking to use me there with little Josh (Cullen) out of the team.
“I’ve been playing long enough, I’ve got enough appearances to call myself experienced; where to be and how to do this and that. I think I could do it as good as I could do anywhere else.
“Josh will be a huge loss, I’ve played with him for the last three years going back to when I was at Bradford and everyone knows how well he did.
“It’s a big loss but someone’s loss is another person’s gain. Whether it’s me or someone else, they’ll have to capitalise on it and take over that role.”
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Sarpong-Wiredu (Anderson 73), Yao, Blumberg, Mascoll; Clarke (Maloney, 77), Marshall, Morgan, Fosu; Hackett-Fairchild (Dempsey, 40), Ajose.
Subs (not used): Osaghae, Stevenson, Carey, Zemura
Booked: Blumberg 46 (foul).
Swansea Under-21s: Benda; Reid, J Lewis, Harries, A Lewis; Garrick, Paulet (Price 75), Cooper (Evans 85), Maric; Cullen, Biabi (Govea 79).
Subs (not used): Zabret, Berry, De Boer, Blair.
Goal: Maric 54.
Booked: Harries 61(foul), Paulet 65 (foul), Maric 83 (foul), Evans 90 (foul).
Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey).
Attn: 740 (28 from Swansea).