BOWYER BOOSTED BY BRIDGE SUPERTEEN
the Addicks previous home game.
But when he raced on to the pitch at full-time it was to praise his players for their “best performance of the season”.
Macauley Bonne’s third goal in four games sent Charlton on their way after just six minutes.
Naby Sarr’s 48th-minute header and a wonder strike from Gallagher move Charlton to seventh, and only out of the play-off places on goal difference.
This time last season it was Derby fans who were in wonderland, watching Stamford Bridge Academy graduate Mason Mount blossom into an England international.
Now Bowyer said: “It was some finish from Conor. It was an unbelievable strike.
“He does it in training, but I don’t get too carried away with things because I see a lot of that stuff from the players in training, whether it is scoring or working hard.
“But for me the kid has got everything. He has been unbelievable. Chelsea have got some player there and he is only 19.”
How Bowyer’s opposite number Phillip Cocu could have done with the legs of a Mount or Gallagher.
Derby were overrun from the start as Sarr’s ball down the channel picked out Jonny Williams, whose cross was swept home first time by Bonne. Derby recovered to enjoy large spells of possession but it was the hard-working hosts who carried the goal threat.
Bonne flashed an angled drive just wide and saw another effort deflect wide off Curtis Davies.
Derby’s only shot of the half was a limp 25-yard effort from former Charlton loanee Krystian Bielik, CHARLTON DERBY 7 ........ Shots on Target .........2 2 ........Shots off Target ........ 0 7 ................Corners .................5 16 ................. Fouls.................. 13 2 ............... Offsides .................3 75.4 .. Passing Success % .. 80.8 358 ...... Total Passes ........ 582 38.3 .... Possession % ...... 61.7 50.....Territorial Adv % ..... 50 while Kelle Roos produced a top save to thwart Josh Cullen from doubling the hosts’ lead.
But Roos was caught out after the break from Cullen’s corner which was nodded into an empty net by an alert Sarr. That was a killer blow from which Derby never fully recovered – much to the obvious disappointment of Cocu.
The Derby manager did not want to use the fallout of Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett’s drink-driving court appearance this week as an excuse.
Cocu said: “If you do not have the desire and energy of your opponent it is very difficult to get a result.
“We cannot let it happen in a game that we have a lack of reaction by the players after we concede one or two goals.
“I don’t like the fact that you put your head down and don’t believe any more that you will get a result.”