Charlton Athletic boss on penalty shootout prep and Wycombe Wanderers’ physicality in first leg

Nathan Jones has talked about his Charlton Athletic players being fully ready if their League One play-off semi-final goes to penalties.

The last time the Addicks won promotion from England’s third tier it was via the knockout stage of the season.

Charlton looked in the driving seat after a 3-1 victory at Doncaster Rovers in 2019 in their first leg but the tie ended up going to a spot-kick shootout after the South Londoners lost 3-2 in extra-time at The Valley.

Darren Pratley netted for the Addicks in extra-time at a point when they were set to be knocked out.

Matty Godden told our paper last week that he would be prepared to take a penalty if required in the tie.

The summer signing from Coventry City has been on spot-kick duties during the regulation campaign and has netted 21 times this season.

“Whatever happens we will prepare the team to be as ready as we can before a whistle is blown,” Jones told the South London Press last week. “Then it will be up to the players to go and execute a game plan and everything else that comes with that.”

Jones emphasised in his press conference today ahead of the return with Wycombe that his approach would remain normal.

“We won’t be in a hotel overnight,” said the Welshman. “We’ll sleep in our own beds. We will travel to our own ground and probably have a little more home comforts than when we went to Wycombe. Apart from that we will prepare in the same way.”

Wycombe seemed determined to be extra physical against Charlton in the first leg.

Richard Kone was booked for a crude foul on Kayne Ramsay while Dan Udoh escaped any punishment for a stray elbow on Macaulay Gillesphey as the Addicks centre-back headed clear.

Jones, asked if he felt Wycombe’s approach differed from earlier in the season, told the South London Press: “The game is always going to be different – a play-off semi instead of a league game.

“There were one or two challenges that were a bit rustic, that might have had a different outcome, but I don’t think they were any more physical than us. There were some really honest challenges – the one between Sonny Bradley and Karoy Anderson was wonderful to see. Some other stuff went on that wasn’t seen or punished but that’s football.

“It was the magnitude of the game. It was a huge game – an intense game. You expect that – it’s a play-off semi. If my team wasn’t then I’d be wondering why and I’m sure the opposition manager would be as well.”

Both were defensively sound in a cagey first encounter.

“I will only comment on my own team,” said Jones. “We did the basics of the game very, very well.

“You’re not lucky to get 24 clean sheets. It shows you can defend as a unit and we’re going to have to do that again.”

PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS