Charlton were inspired by Lee Bowyer’s half-time team talk during win at Reading – Sam Field

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Charlton ran Reading ragged during the second-half of Saturday’s 2-0 win – and midfielder Sam Field revealed it was Lee Bowyer’s half-time team talk that inspired the improvement after the interval.

Goals from Jonathan Leko and Lyle Taylor stretched the Addicks’ unbeaten start to the season to six games. Both strikes came after the restart as the South Londoners dominated, taking control of the game after an even first-half in which the home side had created the better of the chances.

“It was a bit of a struggle to be honest,” said Field, who is on a season-long loan at The Valley from West Bromwich Albion.

“First-half we had to ride our luck a bit and just get through. We came in at halt-time a bit frustrated with ourselves because we’d had a couple of chances we’d made and it was only a couple of passes we had to make and we were on. We knew we could do it.

“The gaffer got us right up for the second half and it showed. We completely dominated the second half and probably should have won by more if we had taken our chances a bit better. To win 2-0, you’d have taken that before the game. We’re on fourteen points now – it’s a great end to this little block. We’ll come back after the international break and start again.

“[Bowyer] told us [at half-time] ‘you’re good players, you’re better than that.’ It was almost that they’ve given us a running there. If we could stay at 0-0 in that then we could cause them problems if we get going. I think we did straight away.

“We started to link up better, started to connect through the thirds. I think that was a brilliant 45 minutes. If we can build on that, keep doing that, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Fellow West Brom loanee Leko bagged his first goal for the club when he opened the scoring with a heavily-deflected effort from long-range – and Field was pleased to see his long-term friend get off the mark.

“A goal is a goal,” he explained.

“I’m really happy for him. I think he’s done really well since he’s come in. Long may that continue. I’ve known him a long time so it’s extra special. Hopefully he’ll keep doing it. That’s what he’s in the team for. If he keeps doing it I’m sure he’ll play week in, week out.

“There’s a great camaraderie here. There’s a feeling that we’ll just run for each other, which is massive in this league. You’re not going to dominate 46 games this season. Like in the first-half, you have to soak it up sometimes. If you can do what we did second-half, I think we’ll be higher up the table than lower down.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS