Nigel Adkins determined Charlton will not be deterred by late Crewe leveller as League One play-off race takes another twist
Nigel Adkins has insisted his Charlton Athletic side will dust themselves down and go again after Crewe’s last-gasp leveller left them with plenty of work to do to get a League One play-off spot.
Alex Gilbey looked as if he had secured maximum points for the Addicks as he finished from close range after 84 minutes.
But Owen Dale rammed home his second of the game deep in stoppage time to ensure it finished 2-2.
The result leaves Charlton eighth in the table. They have a match in hand on Oxford and Portsmouth, who are directly above them, but are two points behind the latter.
Adkins was keen to focus on the positives – including Jayden Stockley’s headed opener on 11 minutes.
He said: “Ninety-six minutes we have got the three points, 97 minutes we haven’t. What a great goal our first one is – 14 passes and a diving header. Some great interlinking play.
“Give Crewe a lot of credit then because they were the team in the ascendency. We didn’t know our defensive shape enough to get the ball off them and they have gone and equalised.
“We changed our shape and that had a positive impact and we go and score from a set-piece, we’re very dangerous from them.
“We dropped a bit too deep in the last minute but we’ve still made two or three really good headers but it has dropped to the lad who has scored – our two centre-halves haven’t reacted quick enough to keep it out of the back of the net.
“It was a tough game. It is still in our own hands. We have got to avoid the disappointment and get ready for the next game, which is a very tough one.
“The lads are working so hard and we’ve got players coming back from injury. We know Conor Washington, Ian Maatsen and Chuks Aneke can’t play 90 minutes of football. You can see that, but the lads have had to graft tonight.
“That could be a very valuable point in the grand scheme of things. Three games to go, it is still in our hands. Yes we have got to win three games but the other teams have got to win theirs as well.”
PHOTO: KEITH GILLARD
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