MacGillivray: "We showed we can win in a different way"

Craig MacGillivray struck a determined tone after helping the Addicks to successive Sky Bet League One triumphs on Saturday. 

Having cruised to a routine 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town in midweek, Johnnie Jackson’s side produced a dogged display to edge Cambridge United 2-0 at The Valley.

“I’m over the moon,” MacGillivray told CharltonTV post-match. “I think it showed that we can win in a different way. I think everyone will agree it wasn’t the nicest of afternoons. It was a scrappy game, lots of second balls. We showed a little bit of quality in front of goal that Cambridge didn’t and that’s got us the three points.

“It was an unbelievable performance from the team, the whole squad. I think it shows that we all enjoy defending; you could see it in the first-half, there were three or four blocks and everyone’s going round high-fiving each other because it means a lot to us." 

“I think if you’re going to be a successful team you’ve got to find different ways of winning,” added the 28-year-old.

“Tuesday night we were in complete control and against Cambridge I think we were in control, but it was one of those performances where you just have to sort of knuckle down as a team, fight, scrap and then show quality in front of goal.”

MacGillivray produced a series of smart saves in the second period to foil Adam May and then Sam Smith, earning his fourth clean sheet in his last six league outings to take his seasonal tally to eight. 

It is the first time Mark Bonner’s U’s have failed to score in 25 away league matches.

“It’s a really good feeling when you’ve made a defining moment in the game,” admitted MacGillivray.

“But ultimately, I know every goalkeeper says it, that is our job to try and keep the ball out of the back of the net and make those big saves in big moments.

“As a team we want to keep clean sheets and if we keep clean sheets we’ll score goals. We all fight for each other, we all want to win football matches as much as the supporters do and it’s now showing. We’re now starting to tick off wins.”

The Addicks have now claimed 20 points from a possible 27 in the third tier under the tutelage of Jackson to move within eight points of the play-off positions ahead of next weekend’s trip to Plymouth Argyle.

“We didn’t start the season great so we’re obviously playing catch-up but the run we’re on at the minute is very, very good,” explained Charlton’s number one. “We’re slowly starting to claw back the teams ahead of us but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves. Every game we’ll look at and try to take three points from it.

“Like I said we’re on a good run, everyone’s happy, everyone’s looking forward to the next game.”

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