It is time we start to count ourselves as serious contenders – Charlton Athletic’s Jonny Williams

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Five wins on the spin and over nine hours without conceding – Charlton are in imperious form and midfielder Jonny Williams reckons it is time they start considering themselves as serious challengers in League One.

The South Londoners are six without loss and sit fifth in the table, just three points behind league leaders Peterborough United with a game in hand.

Saturday’s 2-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park could be seen as a real statement against another side fancied to be challenging at the right end of the league table.

Welsh international Williams had opened the scoring midway through the first-half at Fratton Park, before substitute Chuks Aneke made the points safe with his second league goal of the season late on.

Fleetwood Town are next up for the Addicks at The Valley on Tuesday evening.

Williams said: “I think we’re going to have to start to believe we’re the top team in the division. I think as soon as we do that and keeping doing that, we’re unstoppable. We’ve played some great teams this month. It’s not like we’ve played the bottom teams. We’ve played some top teams home and away.

“It’s been relentless, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. Whoever has played has done really well. You want to be part of a team where there’s competition for places.  There’s players that are buying into it and getting us results. It’s a pleasure to be a part of. This is what we had when we went up when I joined.

“I thought it was a great team performance and I’m just delighted to be a part of that. The club has meant a lot to me over the last couple of years. To go up and unfortunately come down, it would be great to go up again. Hopefully by then we might have some fans in because they’ve stuck with me along the ups and downs. That was for them, really.”

The shut-out on the south coast was Charlton’s sixth in succession and Williams says the Addicks’ fine defensive form will strike fear into opponents.

“Unbelievable,” he added.

“Gunts [Chris Gunter] has been terrific coming in. He’s got a clean sheet every week I think. We’re where we want to be in the table. We’re up there, in the top teams in the league. Teams will start to fear us now if we keep winning and getting clean sheets like we have been. They’ll be right up there Portsmouth, it’s a great result.

“We all buy into it. We all want to win for each other. We’ve got a lot of new lads who have just bought into the way we work hard for each other. We’ve got great quality in all areas of the pitch now. I’m really looking forward to hopefully staying up there and keep winning. It’s been an amazing month. It’s just a shame the fans couldn’t be there to see it.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS