Lee Bowyer's Charlton secured a fifth win in his eight games in charge with a 1-0 away win over Portsmouth at a packed Fratton Park.
The win leaves Charlton in fifth four points clear of seventh place Plymouth Argyle and while the Pilgrams have two games in hand, the fact that one of those games is against sixth placed Scunthorpe United leaves Charton's play-off hopes looking a lot rosier than they were at the start of the week.
He also spoke to the local press post-game and below are five talking points...
On the game
"I've just said to them that I am really proud of them. To do what they have just done, to go to Shrewsbury on Tuesday night and put in the effort and the commitment they did and then to have this quick turnaround and come to Portsmouth, which is probably the most intimidating place to come in this division, and put in that effort and that fight. Their togetherness was outstanding.
"I think first half we dominated the game, if we’d have taken a bit more care in possession we could have scored two, three, four goals. I was a bit disappointed because I thought we should have scored more goals but the most important thing for me is that we kept another clean sheet. They are a team, a squad of players that know what’s at stake and I’ve drummed it in to them that the reward is massive and it’s in your hands, you have to fight for each other. The lads that came off the bench, Mark Marshall, putting in a shift like he did. Little Jay Dasilva, everybody is fighting for the same thing and then the togetherness that we have is remarkable. It’s just good to watch, I love seeing it because I know they can play but it’s all the other side of the game and they are doing it very, very well."
On a dominating first half performance
"We broke on them maybe 10 times and we just made the wrong decisions, so we were by far the better side first half. Second half you are always going to expect them to come into it a bit, they’re playing at home they should do. They have their fans behind them and they have some good players, they are not a bad team. First half we just made them look not as good as they are because of the way we played and we pressed. We won all the second balls, we just didn’t let them play at all. How many times did you see their players kick it out of play, that’s from my players hard work, it’s not that they are bad players. The togetherness and fight that we have is very, very pleasing."
On the run-in
"For sure it’s going to go down to the last game, there are only two games left, Blackburn at home next week. Blackburn are second, the run-in has been tough but the lads know what they have to do to get into the play-offs."
On the two injuries sustained during the game
"I know Tariqe (Fosu) has done his hamstring so he will be a big loss. Lewis Page I’m not too sure on him, something to do with his Achilles, I don’t know how long they’ll be out for."
On Nicky Ajose
"His work rate for the team (is great), it just never fell for him. That’s his first chance he’s had in front of goal in all the time I’ve started him, so I’m over the moon for him because as a striker all you want to do is score goals. One chance and he scores, that’s why he was playing."
Bowyer's post-game interview with Valley Pass will be online shortly.