Lee Bowyer was pleased with his team’s performance after a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Oxford United.
Ronnie Schwartz saw a stoppage-time penalty excellently saved by Jack Stevens but Bowyer felt the draw was a fair result.
Speaking to Charlton TV after the game he said: “I thought the lads played really well. They fought, they battled, defensively they looked solid again. I don’t think there was much in the game at all. Obviously we had an opportunity at the end and it is a good save from the keeper. The game is mad at times. We’re obviously disappointed as it is a big opportunity to win the game at the end and get three points – their keeper is paid to make saves and he’s made one.
“You have a penalty at the end to take all three and you think “here we go” but I think it would have been a bit harsh, I think a draw was probably fair.”
With Conor Washington off the pitch Schwartz stepped up to take the penalty and Bowyer explained he has full confidence in the striker.
He said: “Conor is our penalty taker and he came off. I know Ronnie has taken a lot of penalties wherever he has been. I’ve seen his clips, he is a very, very good penalty taker. He took the pen and it was a good save. I would have backed him and if there is another one tomorrow I would say ‘Ronnie, go and take it’ because he is very good at penalties. That’s the game, people miss penalties, Ronnie today is unfortunate he’s missed one but I’d trust him to take another one – it’s a good save. I’m not going to blame Ronnie for that, it’s a good save.”
The clean sheet was Charlton’s second in a row and he was pleased with his side’s defensive display.
“There are a lot of positives, I think we were solid,” he said. “If I had one criticism it is that we didn’t take care in that final third, again we won the ball in such good areas. We set our traps, won the ball and then the next pass or the second pass was sloppy. Today that final third we should have done better, too many times we made the wrong decision or didn’t take care but overall I think it was a good solid away performance from the players.”
The Addicks now have three home games in a row and will be looking to take their impressive away form back to The Valley.
Bowyer said: “I think this is going to be a decisive time. The three home games, there is no getting away from it, we have to turn it around [at home] and we have to turn it around now. We need to change our home form that has to start on Tuesday.”
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