Dean Holden was pleased with his players after an excellent result and performance in a 3-1 win against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Jes Rak-Sakyi and Scott Fraser both found the net and a late Owen Dale own goal sealed a deserved three points for Charlton to kick-off 2023.
Speaking to CharltonTV, Holden said: “The supporters needed to see that type of performance. We spoke about that going into the game. I thought from start to finish we were excellent with and without the ball. We had a real strong shape to our lineup. Our performance in the first half was good, we were regaining possession up the pitch. We looked dangerous, we scored some goal through Jes Rak-Sakyi.
“To concede like we did, just before half time, from a second-phase set piece, we have to do better. I said to them at half time that it gave them a lift. I think there was going to be plenty of booing around this place at half time without that goal. In fairness it allowed us to reset as well, because too many times this season we’ve conceded and our heads dropped. We addressed it at half time and then I wanted to see a second-half performance, we’ve seen that in the last couple of games, but I wanted to see a 95-minute performance today.
“The boys came out on the front foot. Scotty Fraser scores a brilliant goal. How his free kick doesn’t go in off the keeper I don’t know. And then game management, we get maybe a little bit lucky at the end but Dobbo arriving from midfield, in front of our supporters – it was a brilliant moment.
“We have to use this now. The players have shown at times this season they can go against the bigger teams and put in good performances but we’ve not shown it enough. This is what we can do – we have to generate that momentum.”
1,380 Charlton fans made the trip to Portsmouth and were loud throughout. At full time, Holden and his team went and celebrated with the supporters.
Holden said: “I had seven of my own family, including the young kids, in the away end. I’ve not seen them yet. I imagine they absolutely loved being in there with the away fans.
“There was brilliant noise, the fans drove the boys on. The result is important, when they see a performance like, we can all resonate with that. They want to see the players give everything and we had real quality.”