NATHAN Jones didn’t hold back the praise for his “magnificent” side after Charlton Athletic ended Wycombe Wanderers’ nineteen-game unbeaten run as Miles Leaburn’s double secured a 2-1 win at The Valley last weekend.
Leaburn scored in the 46th and 52nd minutes before Richard Kone’s goal six minutes from time that proved only a consolation.
Chairboys boss Matt Bloomfield – who had been of interest to Millwall before the Lions appointed Alex Neil this week – had led his side to the top of League One. Wycombe lost their first two games of the season – to Wrexham and Birmingham City, the only teams currently above them – before going on that unbeaten run.
“Wycombe are a really good side, a real dangerous one,” Jones said. ‘I can’t remember the last time they lost, you’re going back to August or September in the league. Matt Bloomfield has done a great job there, so we knew we’d have to be on it.
“I thought we were magnificent from start to finish. We were versatile and adapted certain things, we had all the best chances, all of them. No disrespect to anyone but we could have had three or four. It was a really good performance against a flying side, they are dangerous and have threats, I thought we were brilliant.”
Leaburn, 21, has scored eight goals in all competitions this season, four of them in his last three games.
“Miles is in fine form, he’s gathering momentum,” Jones said. “He was out for eleven months so we were taking it day-by-day. He wants to learn. At times he looked unplayable, especially when he had that anger about him. The quality he has, to reach his leg round for the volley and then the composure with that chip, it gave us that wonderful platform to win the game.
“He is absolutely nowhere near where he can be. When he realises what he is good at he can be anything he wants to be.”
The Addicks are four points off the top six after three successive wins.
Jones added: “We are building a platform. When we keep clean sheets and don’t concede, you have to look at other teams who concede three or four and then maybe score two or three the next game. We don’t do that, we have a level of consistency in our defensive play. We are very good out of possession. That gives us the platform to then go on and win games. Sometimes we let ourselves down, but we learn from it.
“I’m pleased for the whole group, even after they scored, we saw the game out really well, against the most dangerous side in the league in terms of scoring.”
Charlton host Reading on Saturday.
