STEVE Evans said Charlton Athletic will feel fortunate to have not lost by seven or eight goals after their 4-2 defeat to Rotherham United – as Addicks boss Nathan Jones admitted he “didn’t see it coming”.
Charlton were unbeaten in six League One games but were 3-1 behind at half-time at New York Stadium after Millers goals from Andre Green, Alex MacDonald and Zak Jules.
Charlton thought they were back in it after Miles Leaburn’s goal in the 45th minute.
Mallik Wilks scored the fourth in the 53rd minute before Matty Godden’s 92nd-minute consolation.
Evans’ side had 22 attempts at goal, eight on target.
“I’m really disappointed, I didn’t see that coming,” Jones said. “I thought we were really poor. We didn’t do the basics right, we didn’t head the ball, we didn’t get on seconds. We allowed them to head the ball, allowed them to secure it, and then to get a real dominant footing in the game.
“What we’ve been really good at is defending our box and outworking teams and today we didn’t do that. We were as bad as we’ve been defensively. We got out-run, out-fought, and we just didn’t do the basics well today. We got exactly what we deserved.
“Rotherham were excellent. They were set up to play like they did and we didn’t handle it. I think we gifted them the goals they scored, but they had other chances which they could have scored.”
Rotherham moved level on 34 points with Charlton, seven points off the top six.
Evans said: “People around the country will see a two-goal difference but it wasn’t a two-goal difference for me. There was a seven or eight-goal difference with the chances, misses, strikes at goal, free-kicks and dominance, particularly in the second half.
“But that’s a good Charlton side with good players and a manager who has managed in the Premier League in recent times. You understand it’s going to be tough but we’ve been doing our own things really well and the boys implemented the plan. It worked.”
“We’re just trying to make little gains every week we play.
“Playing Charlton at any time is always going to be tough but today they’ll go back down the road knowing they’ve got out of jail with a two-goal deficit. It should have been damage limitation at one stage.”