Lee Bowyer looks for the positives as Charlton share the spoils with Cardiff despite holding two-goal lead at half-time
BY LOUIS MENDEZ
Lee Bowyer looked to take the positives from Charlton’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff, despite the Addicks losing a two-goal advantage.
Strikes from Conor Gallagher and Jonathan Leko had the South Londoners in the driving seat at the break. Home goalkeeper Dillon Phillips saved a Junior Hoilett penalty shortly after the restart but the visitors did fight back thanks to goals from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Lee Tomlin.
The result meant that former Millwall boss Neil Harris was undefeated during the first game of his Cardiff tenure.
“Disappointed to just get the one point,” admitted Bowyer, who had to do without 10 injured first-teamers before the game and then saw Josh Cullen stretchered off early in the second period.
“Two-nil up at half-time, you don’t expect to concede two goals. The positive side to it is that we’re competing. We were in the game again against a top side. They were in the Premier League last season, they have a good squad. With the amount of bodies we have out, to still be competing shows how good our recruitment was in the summer.
“It doesn’t matter who plays, they give everything. To come away with just a point is disappointing. It was a poor second goal. I’m a bit disappointed but it shows how far we’ve come, to be playing Cardiff and be disappointed with a point. That’s our expectations. We try and win every game and that’s obvious to see.”
Bowyer was forced to start centre-back Deji Oshilaja in an unfamiliar position, filling in at defensive-midfield with Darren Pratley suspended.
“Deji has never played that position before, he did very well but could have done better for the second goal,” added Bowyer.
“It was his man and the only place the fella was going to cut it back to was his man so he could have got a bit closer and blocked the shot. Apart from that, he did well. [He] protected the back four really well and didn’t really get caught in possession which was my main concern with him playing in there as a centre-half.”
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