Bowyer targets Pompey clash in push for promotion

Lee Bowyer targeted his Charlton’s sides fixture against Portsmouth on March 9 as the Addicks look to challenge for automatic promotion this season.

Bowyer was speaking after his team’s victory over Accrington Stanley where they needed a stoppage-time penalty from Karlan Grant to claim all three points.

And former West Ham and Newcastle midfielder Bowyer was clear about his ambitions for his Charlton side.

“Most important thing is the three points, that was massive today. Obviously, we are four behind Portsmouth now who’s top, that’s nothing, that’s one win and we have to play them soon”.

“I’m looking at Portsmouth, Luton had another good result today, but for me them two above us, we’ve closed the gap on that”.

Charlton will have their eye on home games against Portsmouth and Luton in the race for promotion, the south-east London side currently holding the second-best home record in the league behind Luton.

Kenny Jackett’s Pompey meanwhile have been superb this season but have struggled over their last five games, winning just two and losing three, perhaps giving encouragement to the chasing pack with Bowyer’s Charlton firmly in the mix.

Karlan Grant calmly tucked home an injury-time penalty to secure a 1-0 win for his Charlton side (Photo: Charlton Athletic)

In order to overcome the challenges of the top two, the striker partnership of Lyle Taylor and Karlan Grant is sure to prove vital.

Grant’s late winner saw him claim his 14^th League One goal of the season whilst partner Taylor has 12 while also providing seven assists.

A worry for Bowyer may be the dismissal of Taylor during the Accrington win, with the Montserrat international set to miss vital games against Peterborough, Fleetwood and Southend should the ban be upheld.

Although his manager was positive when asked how confident he is the ban will be overturned.

“I’d like to think 100 percent from what I’ve seen I can’t see what he’s done wrong”

Bowyer had welcomed back Josh Cullen into the squad for this fixture and he threw the West Ham loanee straight into the line-up with his direct running an asset throughout.

The 22-year-old spoke to the press after the win and appeared focused on the task Charlton have in front of them, sharing his boss’ focus on those two huge home fixtures.

“We’ve shown on quite a few occasions we’ll keep going all the way to the death and we’ve done it again today.

“All we can do is keep looking at our games. Portsmouth and Luton have still got to come here so we’ve got to keep doing our business and hopefully they slip up and we can be there or there about come the end of the season”.

“Whoever we’re playing now we’ve got to treat it as a cup final because we can’t afford to slip up. We’ve still got ground to make up and we’ve got to make sure we take care and win as many of these games until the end of the season as we can”.

Cullen had replaced youngster Albie Morgan in the starting line-up and Bowyer confirmed the midfielder will be out for six weeks with an ankle injury.

Josh Cullen’s return will therefore help boost the depth of Charlton’s squad whilst the positive recoveries of Joe Aribo and Igor Vetokele will further strengthen the Addicks as they look to return to the Championship for the first time since their relegation in 2016.

Charlton have now claimed seven points of a possible nine in 2019 and will now hope to keep up their unbeaten start to the year as they travel to Peterborough next weekend.

A victory at the ABAX Stadium would put Charlton just one point behind Portsmouth who are busy in FA Cup action before the current top two square off just three days later when Luton host Portsmouth in what could prove to be a pivotal few weeks in the future of Charlton’s season.