Lee Bowyer ready to take his troops into play-off battle as Charlton seal top six place despite defeat at Rochdale

Lee Bowyer was delighted as Charlton secured their place in the League One play-offs – and is preparing to go into battle with Shrewsbury on Thursday evening.

His Addicks side were beaten 1-0 at Rochdale on the final day but Plymouth’s heavy defeat at Gillingham meant the South Londoners will face the Shrews at The Valley in the first of a two-legged semi-final affair where both sides will look to seal a place at Wembley.

The Addicks were five points shy of the top six when Bowyer took caretaker charge following Karl Robinson’s departure with ten games to go. But a run of six wins in those ten means Charlton are still in the running for promotion.

“That was the goal,” said Bowyer following the loss at Dale.

“From day one, when I took over I said the main achievement is to get to the play-offs. I’ve just said that to the players there. I’m not going to stand there and criticise them after everything they’ve just given me. Yes, we’re disappointed we didn’t win that game but we’ll take it. The most important thing is Thursday.

“We have to be ready to stand up and be counted and fight as a team. Thursday is going to be a very tough and physical game.

I won’t stand here now and talk about their performances today because I’m not going to gain anything from it. I know what they’ve given me over the ten games and they’ve given me everything I’ve told them to.

I have absolutely no doubt that we won’t play like we did just there on Thursday.

“It means absolutely nothing,” he added, with Shrewsbury also beaten today, at home to Milton Keynes.

“Like us, they would have made changes. Thursday is going to be like a war if you like. It’s going to be very physical for sure It was at their place and it will be at ours. You can’t read into our performance today and I won’t read nothing into theirs. I know what Shrewsbury are capable of and what they’re good at.

Bowyer made four changes for the game with Dale, who secured their League One safety thanks to their victory. The Addicks boss had one eye the play-off semi-final in just five days.

“I bought Jake (Forster-Caskey) off as well for the last half an hour,” he added.

“I wanted to give him a bit more rest. I wanted to look at the front two up-top. I thought Sullay Kaikai did well. He got into some good positions, looked positive.

“I wanted to see what he can do and he did himself no harm today. He worked hard. In possession I thought he did well. He was a constant threat when he was on the pitch.

“I was disappointed with some things, and happy with some things. But it wasn’t about today We’d already done the hard work. It’s just about Thursday.”