Northampton Town caretaker Brady “sickened” by Charlton Athletic penalty call

BY KAI BENNETT

Northampton Town caretaker manager Jon Brady was left fuming with the officials for awarding Charlton Athletic a penalty which led to their first goal.

Conor Washington scored a brace for the Addicks as they ended their miserable run of results at the Valley with a first win in nine games.

Alex Jones got a goal back for the Cobblers late into injury time but it was no more than a consolation as Charlton ran out 2-1 winners.

But Brady could not believe that Charlton won a penalty when Jake Forster-Caskey went down following a collision in the Town box. Washington stepped up to put the home side ahead.

“Jack Sowerby jumps high to win the ball, their player runs into Jack, throws himself to the ground and the ref gives a penalty.

“The ref is 10 yards away from it and cannot wait to give it. When he looks back I think he’ll feel sick, as sick as I do about it.

“If you watch it back in slow motion Jack is the one who jumps to head the ball and the guy hits Jack in the ribs, it’s a foul to us.

“You come away to Charlton, an ex-Premiership side, full of Championship-type players, it was a workmanlike performance up until then. It wasn’t pretty but we showed all aspects of our game, we’ve come away from home, we’re digging in, we’re strong and solid and then the ref gives them an out, gives them an opportunity, that they don’t deserve. It’s quite sickening when you work that hard and they’re handed an opportunity to score a goal.”

Brady believed Northampton kept going even after going a goal down.

“There was fight there today. There was spirit. Just before we scored Alex Jones gets clipped on the heels and Alex is too honest – he stands up when there was contact on his heel. What a finish from the header from him, it was excellent.

“In the end we thought we’d go brave and we went 3-4-3, put Fraser up top, we pushed right until the very end, huffed and puffed a little bit but never gave up, never gave in and that’s what I’m very proud of this group about.

“Our final ball, our crossing wasn’t great tonight, our final pass wasn’t at our best but you have those nights and I felt throughout that our heads never dropped, we worked hard and then when you have the referee giving a decision that is so crucial against you, the boys still rolled there sleeves up and carried on.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD