Charlton boss Lee Bowyer explains why he wanted crowd noise pumped into The Valley for the win over QPR

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

The Charlton support couldn’t be at The Valley in person due to the Covid-19 regulations, but boss Lee Bowyer ensured they could still encourage his side by having crowd noise pumped in for the 1-0 win over QPR.

The Addicks boss asked for fan chants to be played over the PA system to cheer his side on – but also to mask any instructions he wanted to share with his squad during the game.

“Our fans and their songs definitely get the team going at home,” explained Bowyer.

“It helps.  I wanted to have that. Obviously, I don’t want the other team’s bench hearing the instructions that we’re trying to put out as well so it’s about trying to find that balance.

“I think the players didn’t want it too loud so they can’t hear them shouting to each other. It’s something that we’ve tampered with but I wanted to have the songs from the fans because even though they’re not here, they can still play a part and help.”

Darren Pratley headed home Josh Cullen’s 12th-minute corner to wrestle all three points from QPR and lift the South Londoners further clear of the relegation zone, following on from last weekend’s triumph at Hull City.

The solitary goal at the KCOM Stadium also came from a set-piece routine as Jason Pearce bundled home from a corner and Bowyer praised assistant manager Johnnie Jackson for working hard on set-plays on the training ground.

“Jacko works hard on set-pieces,” he explained.

“We look at other teams and how they set up. I had a conversation with Jacko the other evening and said: ‘Looks like there’s something you can work on here, work on there.’

Jacko had a look and I said: ‘Here’s three ways we can hurt them – you have a fiddle around with it and whatever you think is best, you go with that.’

“Jacko worked on them hard yesterday and it’s paid off again. Set-pieces are very big in the game. We work hard at them, Jacko more so. I don’t care how we get the three points as long as we get them.”

PICTURES BY KEITH GILLARD