NATHAN Jones said only one error separated his side from big-spending Birmingham City as Charlton Athletic lost 1-0 at St Andrew’s on Saturday.
Blues’ goal came in the 23rd minute when £20million striker Jay Stansfield pinched the ball off Conor Coventry near the touchline on halfway before he ran through and lashed home high past Ashley Maynard-Brewer from the edge of the box.
Kieran Dowell hit the post from a free-kick and Willum Willumsson’s curled just wide as the hosts threatened to extend their lead.
The Addicks struggled to create chances and had one shot on target when Daniel Kanu’e effort was straight at Ryan Allsop in the 76th minute.
“They’ve spent more than anyone, they’ve got a huge budget in terms of that so they should be. They’re well-coached,” Jones said.
“We went after them and it took an error, otherwise there’s nothing in the game. At the end we were pushing. There was just a little bit of naivety at the end because we kept giving free-kicks away and they saw the game out.
“I’m really proud of the club. The fans were absolutely outstanding and out-sang theirs. They had 20-odd thousand fans here but our fans out-sang them and that showed where we were in the second half, that they weren’t dominant in any way.
“Everything they did, they went long. They showed us massive respect. I just wanted us to get a little bit more pressure and be more aggressive and I didn’t think we were.
“They showed levels of something-housery to see the game out which all good sides need to do as well. They went down holding their heads, they stayed down and saw the game out. Credit to them, they saw the game out. The fine margin today was an error.
“We had to clear it and we probably could have done better. He’s a £20m player and he’s smashed it in. If it had been anyone else on the pitch it might not have happened.”
Maynard-Brewer was brought off at half-time for Will Mannion and Jones said the goalkeeper had suffered a groin injury.
Charlton slipped out of the play-off places on goal difference. They host Exeter City on Saturday.
