Nathan Jones pleased with ‘so much’ of Charlton’s display during his first Valley win

Nathan Jones was delighted to get his first home win as Charlton boss thanks to the 3-2 triumph over Carlisle United at The Valley.

The Addicks have won back-to-back games for the first time in League One this campaign, with Jones’ side now seven unbeaten.

The rock-bottom visitors took a surprise lead as Luke Armstrong hooked goalward via a deflection following a half-cleared corner 20 minutes in.

But the Addicks were level eight minutes before the interval as Karoy Anderson’s daisy cutter ricocheted into the path of Alfie May on the edge of the area – the forward taking a touch before sweeping his 23^rd goal of the campaign home.

The hosts led shortly after the restart as Kanu controlled a ball over the top to lash into the top corner. But parity was restored soon after as Macaulay Gillesphey was punished for a tug on Armstrong in the area with Taylor Charters cashing in from the spot.

It was a former Addick who gifted Charlton the victory 15 minutes from time. Sam Lavelle left a back pass woefully short, enabling May to round Lewis for his second of the game and his 20^th League One goal of the season.

Charlton now sit 10 points above the League One drop zone, having only been kept out of the relegation places by goal difference following Jones’ first game in charge at Reading.

Jones said: “Really pleased with so much. Pleased with the result because that is the be all and end all at this stage and where we are. Really pleased with so much of the play. Disappointed with certain aspects of it, especially the goals. We gifted them two goals. They didn’t have to work hard for the goals. Bit lazy on the second one. The first one was just a poor goal to give away.

“But we showed we can score goals. We scored three goals at home. Could have scored more. Were a threat all afternoon. Created chances all afternoon and we won the game, deservedly so.

“It felt very good [to win at The Valley]. I’ll take wins anywhere and points. By hook or by crook we’ve had to get as many points as we can to get away from the position we were in. we’re in a lot healthier position now than we were eight games ago and that’s’ the main thing.

“[The first target] wasn’t survival. It was getting performances so that we can win and pick up as many points as we can. Yes, we want to make sure that we don’t get sucked into any kind of relegation thing, but we want to finish up as high as we can because we want to build for the future. They’ve responded fantastically well.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS