Jason Pearce: A couple of injuries and Charlton Athletic will be down to their bare bones

Photos by Ben Peters

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Charlton defender Jason Pearce has warned that the Addicks’ squad could quickly be reduced to its bare bones by a couple of injuries.

Lee Bowyer has only been able to add two new faces to his team so far this summer, with Lyle Taylor and Darren Pratley both arriving at Sparrows Lane – but nine players who were with the club at the end of last season have either been sold, returned to their parent club at the end of a loan spell or retired.

The Addicks currently have midfielders Simon Dawkins and Rohan Ince on trial, with both expected to feature in the friendly against Brighton at The Valley tomorrow evening.

“I still think we need more, personally,” explained Pearce, who sported the captain’s armband during Saturday’s 2-0 pre-season win over Crawley Town.

“I think the management will say that as well. A couple of injuries and we’re light. Obviously, the young lads that have come in and played pre-season and trained with us have done really well. But we need a lot more experience.

“Darren Pratley coming in is a great signing for us experience-wise and the level he’s played at. I’ve played against him a few times and met him properly the other day and he seems a real top bloke. I think he’ll fit into the group brilliantly.”

One player who has suffered an injury is Tariqe Fosu – the winger forced off in the first-period of the Crawley game with what appears to be a recurrence of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss parts of last season’s run-in.

“He’s a massive player for us,” said Pearce.

“Everyone is but he can create something special at times. He’d be a big miss but it gives someone else an opportunity if he is out. But hopefully it’s not too serious with him and he’ll be back out there.

“The manager said beforehand you’ve got tactics and the way you want to play but the most important thing today is to try and have everyone come out injury free and get the minutes under their belt. It’s obviously disappointing that Tariqe has come off with a little niggle but hopefully it’s not too serious and he comes back alright.”

Goals from Joe Aribo and Karlan Grant, along with a superb first-half penalty save from Dillon Phillips, earned the Addicks their 2-0 win over League Two outfit Crawley Town.

“It was a good runout for the boys,” added Pearce, who completed his first full ninety minutes of the pre-season campaign.

“We knew coming into it that we were going to get quite a lot of minutes today which was important for us. Quite a lot of us managed to get ninety minutes which is important. And you want to get that winning feeling as well, so it was good, positive.

“It’s important that it’s like that. I know it’s obviously a friendly but I take no game as a friendly – I play the same way. I think it’s important going into the first league game that you’ve had tough games, difficult ones. It was good today, we showed a lot about our game.

“It was a tough afternoon, I was flagging a bit towards the end but that’s expected. I’m just pleased to get through it so far injury free and I’ll keep working hard to stay fit.”