Nathan Jones looks ahead to Crawley clash as Charlton have chance to lay ghosts of season’s low point to rest
Defeat to Crawley Town in early December marked a low point in Charlton Athletic’s season but the South Londoners have a chance to put that right in Tuesday’s rearranged game at Broadfield Stadium.
The Addicks had won just once in seven League One outings after that dismal Tuesday evening – sitting eight points adrift of the play-off places in 12th.
Nathan Jones and his side were booed off the field following the 2-1 loss to the Red Devils.
But they haven’t looked back since. Jones’ resurgent team have lost just twice in 18 League One games in the months that have followed to surge back into play-off contention.
The Red Devils, managed by former Charlton goalkeeper Rob Elliott, are marooned in the bottom four – nine points from safety – and are now winless in six League One games after ex-Charlton loanee Pan Camara grabbed a late leveller in a 1-1 draw with Reading over the weekend.
Tomorrow’s fixture was originally due to be played on New Year’s Day but was called off 20 minutes before kick-off due to a period of heavy rain.
Victory on Tuesday would see the South Londoners climb one place into fourth – leapfrogging Stockport County after the two sides played out a goalless draw on Saturday.
And Tuesday’s match at Broadfield Stadium is a chance to lay the ghosts of that miserable night in December finally to rest.
Jones said: “It’s not about revenge. We were the worst version of ourselves that night. We still should have won the game.
“We still should have won the game. When I look back at it, the euphoria and the furore around it – was it justified, unjustified? We don’t know.
“But we had better opportunities. And it took two really big strikes from outside the box, which can happen at times to cost us. But those weren’t our levels.
“We’ve been good since. And that’s a credit to everyone at the football club. Because a lot of people are sceptical, a lot of people are critical and stuff like that.
“We’re in a significantly better place. But it’s not about revenge. It’s about us achieving what we want to do.
“It’s another difficult one, tricky one. They’re playing for something as well. So, no easy games at this level. But we just have to be us. This gives us an opportunity now to take points with our game in hand, because not everyone is playing. That’s a big thing.”
PHOTO: KYLE ANDREWS