Charlton boss Nathan Jones expressed his frustration after his side’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.
In a tight contest at Deepdale, Jones felt a key refereeing decision played a major part in the outcome, as a disputed throw-in led directly to the home side’s opening goal midway through the second half.
“It was a game of really fine margins,” said Jones. “Both sides were honest, working hard, and you could tell the first goal was always going to be vital. The conditions made it difficult for either team to find fluency, it was a real second-ball game, with things bouncing and bobbling all over.
“What disappoints me is the decision that led to their first goal. It’s clear as day, James Bree heads it out off their player, yet somehow the throw-in is given to Preston. From that, they go down the left, cross it in, and it ends up in the back of our net. That changed the whole game.”
Despite the setback, Jones praised his players’ effort and commitment, highlighting their response to a demanding run of fixtures.
“I’ve got an honest group who give me absolutely everything,” he said. “We’ve had two long away trips this week, and that takes a toll.
“We’re still in the top half of the Championship heading into the international break, which is a positive. But I want us to take that next step, to start pushing those top-six boundaries. If we’d won on Tuesday, we’d have been right up there.”
With the international break now providing a pause in Championship action, Jones outlined his plans to use the time productively.
“We’ll rest up a bit, do some good work on the training pitch, and get minutes into a few who need them,” he explained. “It’s not so much about bouncing back, but about starting another run again when we return.”
Jones also took time to thank the 1,100 travelling Addicks who made the long trip north amid difficult travel conditions.
“The fans were brilliant again,” he said. “It was a massive journey for them, especially with the storm and the train problems. We really appreciate their backing, and we’re gutted we couldn’t send them home happy. But we’ll learn from this, and we’ll be better for it.”
Charlton now turn their attention to Sheffield Wednesday’s visit to The Valley on Saturday, October 18th, as they look to kick-start another positive run in the Sky Bet Championship.
