Charlton enjoy perfect finale to League One season as they get play-off second leg wish

If a certain beer did final day outcomes – this would have been it for Charlton Athletic.

A confidence-boosting 3-1 win over Burton Albion at The Valley but, more importantly, a result which moved the Addicks up to fourth in League One’s final standings.

It means that Nathan Jones’ side will have home advantage for the second leg of their play-off semi-final against Wycombe Wanderers.

Charlton won both matches against the Chairboys this season and the latter have struggled to recover from the 4-0 reverse last month, losing their final two fixtures since then.

Jones is too experienced a manager to be coming out with any comments which will act as motivation to the Buckinghamshire club ahead of next Sunday’s first leg.

Charlton have won 12 in a 15-match undefeated home run in SE7.

Mason Bennett’s penalty put them behind this afternoon but they had too much for the Brewers, who were able to toast survival after their midweek win over Wigan.

Matty Godden produced two clinical finishes – taking his tally to 21 goals for the season – with Alex Mitchell heading home early in the second half.

“We wanted to go into the play-offs with a bit of momentum and a good performance,” said Jones. “Secondly we couldn’t affect the other result but we felt if we won it gave us a good opportunity of finishing fourth which meant the second leg is here.

“They were two things that were really important to us.

“The play-offs are totally different so results and form tend to go out of the window in these things, it’s why it is such a wonderful game.

“We can go into it with great confidence because we are on a good run and believe we’re a good side when we have everyone fit and we’re at it.

“We didn’t get the best start which was us shooting ourselves in the foot. But we were pretty dominant early on. We deserved to win today.

“I was really pleased for Matty Godden. I was disappointed he didn’t get his hat-trick but the man has been exemplary from the moment he has come through the door.

“He has been wonderful and then Alex Mitchell recovered from the start he had to score. I was really pleased for him as well.

“We had six academy products on the pitch. That wasn’t token gestures – we picked the strongest bench we could available to us.”