Charlton Athletic boss Jones: Pitch and weather made Fleetwood game ‘very difficult’ as a spectacle
Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones felt that the quality of Fleetwood Town’s pitch – coupled with the weather – made it nearly impossible for their 1-1 draw to be anything but a battle.
Alfie May’s 25th goal of the season – and 21st in League One – put the Addicks in front in the first half after the frontman won a penalty and then converted it.
But Ryan Graydon equalised in the 84th minute. Charlton are unbeaten in eight league matches and 10 points above the relegation zone.
“It was a brutal game,” Jones told Charlton TV. “Conditions and the pitch made it very difficult as a spectacle.
“There was a lot of honesty out there – very little quality. A point was probably a fair result.
“I don’t think a Football League pitch should be like this, for whatever reason – I don’t want to comment too much on it.
“It made any kind of footballing game nigh on difficult. Then the wind took away the chance of any kind of decent spectacle. It’s one of those things – it’s league football, EFL football.”
Charlton have kept one clean sheet in 27 matches.
“I’m really disappointed (with the nature of the Fleetwood goal),” said Jones. “Because we lost a header, we didn’t go with a runner, then we lost another challenge, then another challenge and they tapped it in off the post. It was four things that could have happened better. It came from a throw in, so the manner of the goal is really disappointing.
“It’s probably an even result but when you lead going in whatever it was then you expect to see it out. But we didn’t and we’ll have a look at that.
“It’s another game unbeaten and it’s a positive point. It keeps people away from us. It is about keeping our momentum going – we can’t win everything. We have won a couple of games on the bounce. We wanted to go three today but the conditions probably favoured them a little bit more – they are a big, strong and physical side.
“We weren’t really at it but conditions took away any chance of a decent spectacle. We’ll get back on the bus, a point is a point and another game unbeaten.”
PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
