CHARLTON manager Dean Holden says his squad will not be feeling sorry for themselves after conceding a 98th minute goal at home to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.
The Gas took the lead on 58 minutes when Antony Evans’ free-kick was initially saved by Ashley Maynard-Brewer, only for the ball to be played back in by Aaron Collins allowing Scott Sinclair to tap home.
Sinclair saw an audacious chip over Ashley Maynard-Brewer fly agonisingly wide and then former Millwall striker John Marquis had an effort cleared off the line by Lucas Ness as Rovers went in search of a second.
Instead it was Charlton who drew level in the 73rd minute as substitute Daniel Kanu drilled a low shot from inside the box past Matthew Cox.
Alfie May almost grabbed his first Addicks goal on 89 minutes with a 20-yard shot that cannoned back off the post with Panutche Camara unable to convert from the rebound.
But there was to be late heartbreak for the hosts when Luke McCormick struck Rovers’ winning goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time to consign Charlton to back-to-back league defeats.
Holden said: “I think we started the first half well. I thought we had some good chances.
“They’ve had one moment really in that first half where we’ve not got tight early enough around the halfway line, they’ve wriggled out of trouble and they had that one chance.
“When we conceded the first goal I think we got a little bit ragged. We were going to bring Daniel Kanu on anyway but we immediately got ragged, we went 4-4-2.
“They had an extra man in midfield, there were gaps appearing and we were chasing it a little.
“I think that was when one of the ones off the line was cleared from Nessy.”
The Valley boss added: “Quickly we got that goal back and we really put our foot to the gas and should have come out with at least a point, there is no doubt about that.
“But we have to be better defensively, of course we do. We have to be better in both boxes at the moment.
“There are a lot of really good signs, there is a lot of really good stuff but we re being punished.
“The last thing we will do is feel sorry for ourselves. We are going to need our supporters behind us again at home to Port Vale at the weekend.
“I thought they were excellent again tonight even when they scored the first goal they were still continually singing.
“They can see the boys are giving everything. Yes, there is a little bit of concentration and a bit of naivety but the boys are giving everything, you can see that.
“I think for the most part we had a really good shape defensively but we didn’t got what we deserved again.”
