NATHAN Jones paid tribute the Charlton Athletic’s academy ofter the Addicks’ statement 2-1 win against “Premier League” West Ham United at London Stadium.
Lloyd Jones put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute before Tyreece Campbell doubled the lead on 56 minutes.
Joel Piroe pulled a goal back for Nuno Espirito Santos’ side with sixteen minutes left but it was the 3,000 away contingent in the 62,264 crowd who were making all the noise at the final whistle.
Jones started academy products Campbell and Miles Leaburn. Two more, Alan Mwamba and Micah Mbick came on in the second half.
Danny McNamara and Karlan Grant were also in the Addicks’ youth system before returning this summer after more than a decade away.
Jones said it would have been a “travesty” had Valentin Castellanos scored a 93rd-minute penalty given for handball against Conor Coventry.
“It’s a magnificent win. For the majority of it I am really pleased with the performance,” Jones said on the club’s website.
“How organised we were, how solid we were, how we were on the counter. We could have been a bit more fluid and had a bit more possession. But you have to remember recent history, where we have come from and where they were, this is categorically the best squad in the Championship.
“We have brought on academy products, Alan and Micah, as well as having TC and Miles all come through our academy and West Ham are bringing on £20-30million players, and that is the difference.
“To do what we have done, they put the ball in the box quite a lot, which we defended well. I thought we had some good chances on the counter, we probably needed that bit more of a cutting edge. If we had that, then we probably would have scored more.”
Debutant goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo went to his right for the penalty and Castellanos went the other way but saw his spot-kick rebound off the base of the post.
Jones added: “We had to go dig deep into our DNA. We have signed players to be more fluid and expansive which we did a bit more last week. We have come here against what is a Premier League side. They only lost two players and have brought in five or six in the window, so they are probably in a stronger place squad-wise than they were in the Premier League.
“We knew we weren’t going to come here and dominate the ball, but what we did know is that we were going to have threats and it would have been a travesty if they had scored that penalty, because three points is what we deserved.
“A little bit more fluency and a bit better decision-making on the counter and we would have extended our lead, but you aren’t going to get everything here. The bravery we showed, the way we put bodies on the line – we can enjoy that.”
Jones scored his second goal in the first two games with an overhead-kick.
“Last week’s goal is more of what you would expect a defender to score. A bicycle-kick from Lloyd is not something you would quite expect,” Jones said.
“But we take goals in any which way when you come to places like this. If this West Ham side is not in the top two, I would be very shocked.
“We were 2-0 up at the London Stadium and bringing on Alan Mwamba and Micah Mbick, starting Miles Leaburn and TC. I don’t think I could show any more faith in the academy. The academy keep producing and there is a pathway if you are good enough.”
