'Boring?? Cheeky Ipswich fan made a sharp exit - I went looking for him at full-time'

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones elated after impressive 3-0 victory at promotion favourites

Nathan Jones revealed that he was trying to find an Ipswich Town fan who labelled his Charlton Athletic side “boring” after last night’s stunning 3-0 victory at Portman Road.

The Addicks are up to fifth in the Championship table after a superb performance.

Three goals in a devastating 12-minute spell - Sonny Carey, Macaulay Gillesphey and Miles Leaburn on target - shellshocked the hosts, who suffered a first league reverse on home turf this season.

Charlton manager Jones walked down the touchline looking into the lower tier of the stand behind the technical area at the full-time whistle before joining in the post-match celebrations with his players in front of the away support.

Nathan Jones celebrates at full-time

Picture: Kyle Andrews

“The goals were excellent goals,” said the Welshman. “The game-changers that came on were excellent. That was some performance.

“The energy and humility we play with…an Ipswich fan called us boring at half-time. I went looking for him afterwards. He made a really sharp exit, the cheeky f….. (tails off without swearing).

“I didn’t see him at the end. He might have gone home at half-time, with how bored he was. I’m glad I didn’t see him, because sometimes I get carried away.

“It was a magnificent result. They have got some squad, some team. The first 25 minutes we had to get to grips with it. I felt we were really passive and allowed them to work their patterns and get their players into good areas. We had to defend the box really well.

“Then we started to get a bit more aggressive and on the front foot. We had the best chances in the first half. Their best chance came from a [Chuba] Akpom counter attack from the edge of the box which hit the bar. But Sonny Carey has had a chance, [Charlie] Kelman has had a chance, Macca has had a chance and Tanto (Isaac Olaofe) is clean in, one on one.

“We had four really good chances.

“At half-time we got into the players and said: ‘Look, if we want to be passive then they will play around and through you’. Second half we were really aggressive and went after the game.”

The post-match celebrations (above) after Charlton’s 3-0 victory at Ipswich Town

Last season’s League One play-off winners have made a seamless transition into England’s second tier.

Charlton are only three points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

“Fifth in the league after 11 games and 18 points, you see we have settled,” said Jones. “We’re not nicking results - we are going after everyone.

“At times we will lose a game but it’s the most wonderful and humble group. I’m very proud of that performance and the club. This is a tough place to come to. There won’t be many better away performances here this season.

“We know we have to do the basics. We don’t look past the next game. It is a cliche but that is what you do - you don’t get excited or carried away. You don’t get down when things don’t go well for you.

“You have to enjoy nights like this.

“What we said (to the players) was: ‘You have earned the right to be here.’ These were in the Premier League last year - a wonderful team, big budget, loads of players, well-coached and a good manager. They are difficult to play against - you have to be right at it.

“We said: ‘Go out and test ourselves - right up against them - to see how good they are’. We found out.

“To be fair to Ipswich they are brave and pass through you. They leave two-v-two. We felt we would go with two strikers up against them all the time. We had to defend well, because they overload it. But when it broke down we looked like we could score a lot.

Miles Leaburn shoots against Ipswich Town

Picture: Kyle Andrews

“We have got good athleticism in all four of our frontmen. All of them want to run and they can play. They have ability. We showed that. Tactically we were brilliant tonight.”

Charlton have kept clean sheets at Sheffield United, Bristol City and now Ipswich Town.

They have conceded nine goals in their opening 11 matches.

Asked about their strong defensive showings, Jones said: “We have to do the basics. We haven’t got a big budget. We’re probably in the bottom six budget-wise. So for us to be bottom-six budget and top-six at the minute means we have to do certain things really, really well.

“It would be nice to play as fluently and open as Ipswich but they have more resources to be able to do that.

“We’re in our infancy. We’re only a year and a half into our evolution. They are a bit further down the line than what we are.”

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