‘It wasn’t ever going to be a good footballing game’ – Nathan Jones on ‘massive’ three points for Charlton Athletic
Nathan Jones admitted Charlton’s gritty 1-0 win at Cambridge United was not one for the purists but was pleased with how his side “did the basics.”
Tyreece Campbell proved the matchwinner with a solitary strike on his return from injury before 15 minutes had been played at the Abbey Stadium. He also drew a decent save from Jack Stevens minutes before Matty Godden rattled a post from the edge of the area.
Chances were few and far between in a scrappy second half that saw Neil Harris’ Cambridge denied a late point by Tom McIntyre’s goal-line clearance.
The result sees the Addicks remain fifth in the League One table – six points behind second-placed Wrexham, who could only draw with Wigan Athletic at lunchtime.
Jones told BBC Radio London: “It’s a massive three points. This is a really, really tough place to come. Firstly, they’re fighting for their lives. Secondly, they are a Neil Harris side – they will be front-footed and very difficult to beat. And then the conditions were really difficult for a good footballing game.
“The pitch is dry and bobbly. It’s the slope, there’s wind. Everything that can go against a spectacle is here at the Abbey Stadium.
“We’ve had to do all the basics really well today, apart from a little scramble right at the end. We were relatively comfortable, but we had to defend well.
“You quickly realise there wasn’t going to be a really good footballing game. We’ve watched games here that haven’t been footballing games. They’ve been really tough. Wrexham drew here, others have lost here. And it’s a tough, tough place to come. We’ve seen that early on in the season. This time last year, we came here, exactly the same conditions, and drew the game. So, we couldn’t let that happen.
“I would have liked us to have a little bit more of a cushion, but we didn’t. But in the end we saw it. Clean sheet, three points, decent day.”
Campbell returned to the side after missing last weekend’s draw with Lincoln City at The Valley – and seemed to be struggling with minor pain throughout after a strong challenge in the early exchanges and was eventually taken off around the hour-mark.
“He got the winning goal, he was a threat,” said Jones.
“He got some treatment, which he’s going to get. He’s going to get a bit of close contact. We know that. But he had the dead leg, he kept on, but then he wasn’t really at it second half. So that’s why he made the change.”
PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS
