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Nathan Jones slams first-half performance at Exeter but feels Charlton side were ‘really good’ after the interval

Charlton boss Nathan Jones slammed his side’s first-half performance in the defeat at Exeter City – but felt they were much improved after the break.

The Addicks slipped to a 1-0 loss at St James Park, with Brentford loanee Tristan Crama heading home from the Grecians’ 13th corner of the match.

Matty Godden, who had already been denied by on-loan Crystal Palace goalkeeper Joe Whitworth early on, dragged wide when he would have expected to score in the closing stages.

Charlton defender Alex Mitchell also nodded wide when well-placed as the South Londoners lost for the first time in five league games. But Jones’ side have also won just twice in 11 League One outings and drop into the bottom half of the table.

Jones said: “We were nowhere near first-half. We allowed Exeter to do certain things. It wasn’t, without being disrespectful, because they were great. We kept giving the ball away constantly. Kept slicing clearances, making bad decisions. That allowed them to get a head of steam up and have, not chances, but set-plays. We couldn’t build any momentum that we wanted to do.

“Second-half we were much better. Came out the much better side. They scored from a set-play ironically. We defended so many in the first-half and couldn’t defend one in the second.

“Then we had at least three clearcut chances that we should have got something from the game, but we didn’t. We had glorious ones. You wanted them to fall to the people they fell to. We were the much better side second-half but we couldn’t get the goal. If we got one then we could have gone on and won the game but it’s all ifs and buts.

“We were pretty dominant second-half without getting the goal that we probably deserved. I’m heartened by the second-half performance but really disappointed with the first 45 minutes.

“We didn’t give ourselves a chance first-half. Second-half we were really good. If we got a goal second-half and came back we’d have said we were excellent second-half and had a real reaction because we did without getting a goal. Ironically, we just didn’t defend one set-play which cost us.”

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS

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