'It was just a wonderful, wonderful night - Sonny Carey has been a revelation for Charlton Athletic'
Manager Nathan Jones and goalscoring hero on 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion
Nathan Jones felt his Charlton Athletic side were full value for their 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion last night - the south Londoners needing a 95th-minute goal from Sonny Carey to break the deadlock.
The summer signing from Blackpool bagged his fifth of the Championship campaign.
Carey’s shot deflected off Baggies substitute Chris Mepham and squeezed under the body of goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
Nathan Jones celebrates after Charlton’s 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Charlton captain Greg Docherty had a 36th-minute penalty saved by Griffiths after Ousmane Diakite was penalised for handling Miles Leaburn’s header.
Carey’s late winner sparked jubilant scenes in SE7 with Carey racing to Jones after his goal. The Welsh boss also stood on the advertising hoardings roaring his delight.
The victory moved the Addicks up to fifth in the Championship table and they are undefeated in five matches, banking 11 points from a possible 15.
“We were fantastic,” said Jones. “I’ve just said to the lads that this is West Bromwich Albion, they have either been in the Premier League or top end of the Championship and challenging for promotion in the last 10-12 years.
“We should score the penalty and be up. Then their keeper had made a world-class save from Sonny Carey. There is nothing wrong with a 94th or 95th-minute winner.
“You have got to enjoy those moments - I told Sonny at the end to go and enjoy it. You don’t often get 17,000 or 20,000, whatever it is, singing your name.
“It’s just a wonderful, wonderful night but also thoroughly deserved. We had real control and finished strongly. The subs came on and gave us a massive impetus late on. It would have been a travesty if we didn’t win it and definitely if they had nicked something at the end.
“Sonny is a positive player and front foot. Every touch he has is forward. Every pass he makes is forward. Every run he makes is forward. Every shot zings or tests something. He has been an absolute revelation and it’s why we brought him to the football club.
“The first shot the keeper saves, you will not see a better save than that for a long, long time. It zinged through bodies and zipped up, bounced right before [it reached him], and he managed to get a hand on it.
“He (Griffiths) was their man of the match. He saved a pen and then saved from Sonny Carey. I’m just glad he didn’t save the last one.”
Last season’s League One play-off winners are only four points behind second-placed Stoke City.
Jones said: “You don’t get carried away because football has a habit of punching you on the nose. Every single game you have to do the basics really well and keep moving forward.
“Look, if we’re in this position after 46 games then you get carried away. At the minute, we’re not. We’re in a good place and they are giving me everything. Onel Hernandez came in for his first game today, out of position, and he did a wonderful, wonderful job.
Ibrahim Fullah made his first Championship home appearance for the Addicks
Picture: Keith Gillard
“Look at Ibby Fullah coming on - phwoar. He’s an 18-year-old kid. I don’t think he had a bad touch or bad moment. He lifted everyone. You could see the crowd respond. That’s what I love about this football club, when you see a young lad come on, from the academy, it lifts everyone.
“I said: ‘Go on - go and light the place up’. It’s exactly what he did. If we chuck him in too early and it doesn’t happen for him then it can knock a young player back. Not this kid. It is frightening. I absolutely love him.
“He comes and high fives me every day - and he slaps me. He wants to hurt me with the slap. That is just the mentality he has in his mind. He wants it. He has been patient but every day he lights the place up - he does something truly magical every single day. It is about when you put him in and I just felt tonight was the right time.”
Charlton were forced into changes with Reece Burke (foot), Amari’i Bell (hamstring) and Charlie Kelman (hamstring) all injured.
The trio all came off at the weekend.
“Some are longer than others but nothing is long term,” said Jones. “Everything is probably short to medium term, which ones we get back quickest we will have to see.”
Kelman scored his first Championship goal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Swansea City.
The 24-year-old was replaced by Hernandez in the 68th minute. Leaburn took his starting spot against the Baggies.
“He (Kelman) picked up a little something,” said Jones. “It is just frustrating because we wanted him to go again tonight.
“Those who stepped in took their chance.”
Sonny Carey runs to Nathan Jones after his dramatic late strike
Picture: Paul Edwards
Carey has scored in four of his last five matches at The Valley.
“The feeling when it went in was incredible,” said Carey. “When I was younger I always got told if you don’t shoot then you don’t score.
“I didn’t know where to run and then I saw the gaffer and thought ‘I’m going to head for him’.
“I love him - the passion he has is unmatched. When a goal goes in you lose control of your emotions.
“This is probably the most I’ve enjoyed my football. It is a great group of lads, great manager and great staff.”
Carey echoed Jones’ positivity on Fullah.
“I could sit here for 10 minutes and talk about him - he is some player. You see it in training day in and day out. That kid is going to go to the top.
“He is like in training what you saw today - just fearless. The first thing he did today was Maradona-spin someone. He always wants the ball.”
If Charlton are awarded another spot-kick then it comes as no surprise that Carey would be keen to take it.
The goalscorer confirmed all set-pieces are designated beforehand and that Docherty was down as the penalty taker.
“I would 100 per cent [take one],” said Carey. “I’d take free-kicks or penalties - I’d take anything.”
Charlton head to Wrexham next on Saturday.
“What the gaffer says is bang on - he says anything is possible,” said Carey. “We take it game by game.”