NOLAN’S A SMASH HIT, BUT LEE’S ADAMANT: ‘WE’RE MUCH BETTER’
CHARLTON boss Lee Bowyer is confident his troops will overturn their one-goal deficit to Shrewsbury today because he believes the Addicks are the ‘far better side’.
The two League One clubs will meet again in the second leg at Montgomery Waters Meadow after Bowyer was frustrated with several aspects of the Addicks’ first-leg defeat on Thursday evening.
The Shrews delivered a solid away performance at The Valley, restricting the home side to few chances and delivering a telling blow with Jon Nolan’s sublime late volley.
Bowyer, who took over the Charlton reins following Karl Robinson’s departure in March, was frustrated by what he deemed time-wasting from Shrewsbury, but remains confident ahead of the return.
“They’ve got a goal advantage because they were wasting time,” said Bowyer. “They were taking five minutes to take a goal-kick from the beginning.
“Shrewsbury are going to turn up at home. They’ll probably waste time from the beginning and try to break the game up.
“But once we get chances we have to take them. We will create chances. I think we’ll be fine – there’s still a long way to go.
“I’ll show the players some of the stuff that was negative out there and speak to them individually and tell them how good they are because they are good players.
“You don’t just go and do what they’ve done since I’ve been in charge (win six out of ten games) and get to this situation without being a good team.
“I’ve said to the lads ‘listen, you’ve got 90 minutes, I’m telling you now, you’re a far better side than they are. A far better side’.”
Shrews boss Paul Hurst was taken aback by Bowyer’s accusations of time-wasting, but is wary of the threat Charlton’s mercurial stars could pose in the second leg.
Hurst said: “I’m surprised. He’s a very, very experienced player and now manager.
“We were never going to come and rush with 180 minutes to play.
“It’s two games. Nothing’s decided. We stayed organised and disciplined for large parts and I need more of the same on Sunday.
“I think the players know exactly what I feel about the scoreline and what’s required. We’ll certainly ram that home to them.
“We’re delighted to be very much in the tie and have an advantage.
“They (Charlton) have got, more than anybody, individual players, on the bench or starting, who can produce a bit of magic out of anything. Any team equipped like that is a dangerous one.”
Thursday’s result perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise due to the fact that both matches the teams had played against each other earlier in the season ended up with 2-0 away victories.
The tie began with Charlton attacking and the crowd were on their feet inside five minutes as Stephy Mavididi’s cross flashed past Josh Magennis, with the striker then heading wide from a second ball in.
A minute later, Charlton’s Jake Forster-Caskey surged towards the opposition area and his angled shot was pushed just wide of the post.
Shrewsbury worked their way into the game though and almost scored with a counter-attack from a corner, Nolan cutting inside but then seeing his shot deflected out for a corner.
On the half-hour Shrewsbury’s Bryn Morris powered a long-range effort destined for the far corner but Ben Amos proved equal with an excellent save.
The play-off opponents cancelled each other out for much of the second half, until, with ten minutes remaining, substitute Stefan Payne laid a header into Nolan’s path and he powered in an excellent volley off the underside of the bar.