Nathan Jones delighted as Charlton Athletic extend excellent home form with win over Barnsley to climb to fifth

Nathan Jones was delighted as his side made it six home wins on the spin with a narrow victory over Barnsley.

Macaulay Gillesphey caught Tykes keeper Jackson Smith out with a low, curling free-kick that snuck in at the near-post on 12 minutes – a strike that proved to be the match winner as the Addicks kept a sixth clean sheet in seven on home turf.

The result sees the South Londoners climb to fifth in the League One table, with a juicy clash against fourth-placed Stockport County to come this weekend.

The Addicks had chances to extend their lead in the second half but were able to claim victory after restricting the visitors to no shots on target after the interval.

Jones said: “It was a brilliant win against a very difficult side to play against. First half they were really lively, we didn’t get to grips with it. We got the goal at a good time which settled things a little bit.

“We made a few little tweaks second half and we were comfortable second half. They’re a good side, their front players are excellent. You look at [Davis] Keillor-Dunn, Adam Phillips and people like that who are good footballers and cause real problems.

“They’ve won the last three, they scored four on the weekend. They have a free-scoring side, so to keep a clean sheet against them was very good. And look, any win at the minute is massive.

“If we take our chances then it’s a little bit more comfortable. We’ve had some good chances.

“Without playing at our fluent best. But you’ve got to understand it’s a tough week. You don’t get many tougher weeks than this in League One.

“Leyton Orient, who have been in excellent form, Barnsley at home, in excellent form, and then we have to go to Stockport. So, you have to forgive us a little lack of fluency tonight but we found a way to win the game and I’m delighted.

“The mental energy of the win on Saturday and what it took. I said if we don’t show up tonight and if we take a foot off the gas, literally feel sorry for ourselves because we’ve had to go to 96, 97 minutes but they were at it. The game changers that came on really added a real impetus. It’s a real squad game but we were excellent second half.

“We handled everything they threw at us or we controlled more of the game. Will [Mannion] didn’t have any big saves to make where their keeper did.

“I’m pleased with the win. I’m pleased with the level of performance and I’m pleased with another clean sheet which again from that defensive solidity and base we’ve shown we’re a good side.”

Jones’ side haven’t conceded a goal in open play on home turf in more than two months.

“Home form has been excellent,” he added.

“We’ve won eight out of nine and the other one we drew against Reading and should have won that. We’re in good form but every game as it comes, the old cliche, we’ve got a few days now to dust ourselves down and we’ve got a massive game on the weekend.”

Gillesphey’s strike made it two in two games after his equalising goal at Orient on Saturday, taking his season tally up to four.

On his defender, Jones said: “He’s starting to score goals which is good, because we want centre-halves to score. We don’t expect him to score from there, but he is one of the best technicians for this level. He’s technically very, very high in terms of how he executes stuff and we’ve asked him to be certain stuff and add certain stuff to his game.

“He has and he’s been in good form. You’ve only got to look at his record, he plays pretty much every week.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS