Team Lineups

‘We got the job done’ says Monk

Garry Monk was pleased to see his Wednesday side bounce back from some frustrating results with a 3-1 win at Charlton today.

It was a first victory in six, during which time we have made a habit of conceding costly late goals at one end and failed to convert chances at the other, and takes us back into ninth place, just two points from the play-off positions.

Monk said: “They got their just desserts today and they have seen for themselves how they can come back from some frustrating results and perform like that.

“I thought we were very good today, very professional and we got the job done.

“A lot of things haven’t gone our way recently but sometimes you have to make your own luck and we’ve done that today with a very professional performance.”

He added: “I’m very pleased for the players and the fans. Today we got our rewards for the performance and we haven’t managed that in the last four of five games in terms of getting what we felt we deserved.

“But today we got exactly what we deserved. I thought it was a really strong show of character and spirit and the togetherness that these players have.”

With Atdhe Nuhiu partnering Steven Fletcher up front and Fernando Forestieri starting the game, we had a more attacking look and Nuhiu had the ball in the net after just five minutes, only for his header to be ruled out for offside.

However, we did take the lead on 17 minutes, Fletcher heading powerfully home from Barry Bannan’s cross, and it should have been two eight minutes later when Forestieri managed to shoot wide from inside the six-yard box after home keeper Dillon Phillips had pushed out another Fletcher header.

Worse followed almost immediately when Macauley Bonne’s seeming half-hit close range shot deflected off Tom Lees and onto the upright before crossing the line for a Charlton equaliser.

We came out strongly in the second half and Bannan saw his long-ranger tipped over by Phillips before the keeper foiled us again, denying Kadeem Harris when he pushed away the winger’s low, angled drive.

However, we finally got the breakthrough 11 minutes from time when sub Jacob Murphy – on for the injured Forestieri at half time – was tripped by Erhum Oztumer and Fletcher stepped up to coolly convert the penalty and restore our lead.

Then, with the game in stoppage time, Adam Reach sent over a perfect cross to the far post and the unmarked Nuhiu headed high into the net to ensure all three points.

Dawson, Odubajo, Lees, Iorfa, Fox, Harris (Reach 80), Hutchinson (Luongo 77), Bannan, Forestieri (Murphy 46), Fletcher, Nuhiu. Unused subs. Jones, Lee, Pelupessy, Winnall.

 

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