WITH his Charlton side inching towards League One safety, Nathan Jones is looking at the positives as he seeks to build the south Londoners’ resilience.
The Addicks held play-off chasing Stevenage to a goalless draw at The Valley on Easter Monday, putting themselves eight points clear of the drop zone.
It marked just a second league clean sheet since October in what has been a markedly underwhelming campaign.
Until recently, it saw the once Premier League highflyers on the back foot in a perilous looking battle to maintain their third-tier status.
Jones’ appointment in February has heralded a brightening of spirits in SE7, with the former Luton boss having fallen to just one defeat going into yesterday’s clash with Barnsley.
However, the Welshman knows his rebuilding job still has a long way to go.
“We want to be better than what has happened, I think we’re starting to show that we can be difficult to beat,” said Jones.
“Keeping clean sheets at home is essential if you’re going to get anywhere. We very rarely don’t score in a game, so being resolute defensively is so key.
“It’s all about laying foundations and keeping a structure for now, being difficult to break down and beat, which is exactly what we did against Stevenage.”
Monday’s hard-fought point made it ten games unbeaten for the Addicks, a run which has seen them take points from those at the top.
Steel
Draws against Bolton and Portsmouth were followed up by a shock win at Derby at the end of February, as Jones’ side finally gave the Charlton faithful something to smile about.
January recruits Rarmani Edmonds-Green, 25, and caulay Gillesphey, 28, who ar-Marived from Huddersfield and Plymouth respectively, ely, have added important defensive steel in recent weeks, while former Luton keeper Harry Isted, 27, has produced a string of vital saves between the
