KYEL Reid’s goal was the difference as Charlton edged into the FA Cup Second Round with a 1-0 win over Barnet at The Valley.

The explosive winger won possession from left-back Joe Devera before speeding into the Bees’ box and firing in off the near post to give the Addicks the duke in what was a very close, see-saw affair.

Jonathan Fortune, in for Gary Doherty, conceded a dangerous free kick in the opening minute from which George Francombe forced a low parry from Rob Elliot.

Veteran forward Kevin Gallen rattled the angle moments later after some good work from Mark Marshall, as the North Londoners made it clear that they were on the hunt for a cup upset.

The Addicks’ first good chance came on seven minutes after good hold-up play from Pawel Abbott allowed the front man to send Reid cutting into the box from the right, though his shot fizzed inches over the bar.

And on 18 minutes the first goal of the cup tie arrived courtesy of Reid, who dispossessed a stranded Joe Devera out on the right flank and took the ball all the way to the six yard box where he tucked the ball between Jake Cole and the near post.

Charlton Academy graduate Grant Basey almost pulled the Bees level against his former club after a Marshall cross was dummied by Steve Kabba and landed at Grant’s feet to test Elliot with a rasping low close range effort.

With the game mostly a scrappy affair for the remainder of the first half, the hosts almost doubled their lead in a dynamic climax to the period thanks to a Johnnie Jackson thunderbolt parried by Cole after good work in the build from Abbott and Alan McCormack.

Moments later, Therry Racon was far too casual in the middle of the park and subsequently found himself dispossessed by Kabba, who strode forward on the ball before forcing a corner from Elliot with a 20-yarder.

The visitors began the second half the better side and a Marshall shot flashed across the goalmouth following a pair of corners.

Soon after, Kabba put Rossi Jarvis clean through only for the midfielder to be thwarted by the superb Elliot in a one-on-one situation.

After Dailly was booked for a foul, Francombe found the head of Mark Hughes from the resulting free-kick, forcing another parry from Elliot.

The Addicks’ best player by a mile, Elliot again frustrated his old team-mate Basey – and the resurgent Bees as a whole – by tipping his left-footed free-kick over the bar ten minutes into the half.

Despite the pressure from their visitors, Charlton had a prime chance on the break halfway through the half courtesy of a rare piece of good interplay between sub Abbott and sub Paul Benson, only for Abbott’s resulting shot to be a weak one straight into Cole’s waiting arms.

A clever flick from Benson again set the Reds off and running minutes later, but the recipient – McCormack, in this instance – was again wasteful, sending a rushed effort well over.

With Akpo Sodje coming on for Abbott, the two relatively-fresh strikers combined to give Akpo an early chance which rolled wide to the left of Cole’s goal.

With just a quarter hour remaining for Mark Stimson’s side to try and stay in the Cup, Kabba found himself in another prime position to equalise but for yet another cracking block from Elliot.

And though Phil Parkinson will be relieved that his side held out in the end, they could easily have finished two up following another good effort from Sodje, this time turning to half-volley inches over the bar deep into stoppage time.

The Addicks will now go on to face either Corby Town or Luton Town back at The Valley on Saturday, November 27th.

Charlton: Elliot, Francis, Fortune (Doherty 63), Dailly, Fry, Wagstaff (Benson 46), McCormack, Racon, Jackson, Reid, Abbott (Sodje 74). Subs not used: Worner, Llera, Mambo, Harriott. Att: 4,803.