“I enjoy being under pressure” – Josh Cullen after his late penalty rescued a point for Charlton at West Brom
BY LOUIS MENDEZ
Lyle Taylor’s absence means that Charlton are without their regular penalty taker at the moment – but Josh Cullen’s added-time spot-kick at The Hawthorns on Saturday proved the Addicks have an able backup.
The West Ham loanee struck deep into injury time to secure a creditable point at the league leaders and to earn his first goal of the Championship campaign – having been nominated as the stand-in penalty taker in the build-up to the game.
“That was something that we’d decided as a team,” explained Cullen.
“When we do our set-pieces the day before the game, I was first to take the penalties. Fortunately, one came along and I could put it away. I hadn’t watched the keeper, where he usually goes. I just went on instinct. You pick your spot. That was where I picked and it worked out OK.
“They are the moments that you are in the game for. I enjoy being under that little bit of pressure. It was nice to be able to put it away and make sure we got what we deserved at the least, a point, today.
“It’s always nice to score. If I can get on the scoresheet a bit more than I have done, I’d be over the moon. I just want to keep doing my job for the team. If the goals come, nice, but I’ll keep doing my job and keep performing as well as I can for the team and that will be me happy.”
The Baggies had led 2-1 going into the six minutes of added-time at The Hawthorns thanks to Hal Robson-Kanu’s strike nine minutes from time, despite being reduced to ten men shortly after Macauley Bonne had cancelled out Matt Phillips’ opener on the hour-mark.
Charlton had lost to a ten-man Bristol City during the week and Cullen hoped that lightning wasn’t about to strike twice.
“We had more time to come back into it, we knew that,” he said.
“There was still fifteen minutes, with stoppage time, to go. We knew we had time to get back into it. WE just had to stay patient and hope that the chance would come. It came at the end and we’re delighted to get the point.
“It’s a strange thing to say but sometimes it seems harder to play against ten men. The team you’re playing up their game a little bit. But to come to top of the league, West Brom, a massive club and get a point away from home is not to be sniffed it. We’ll take it and move on,”
PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS