Lee Bowyer beaming after Charlton win on his debut in the dugout - 7M sport

Lee Bowyer beaming after Charlton win on his debut in the dugout



Posted Sunday, March 25, 2018 by PA

Lee Bowyer beaming after Charlton win on his debut in the dugout

Caretaker boss Lee Bowyer admitted it was a dream debut in the Charlton dugout as his side beat play-off rivals Plymouth 2-0.

The former Leeds and Newcastle midfielder was placed in temporary charge of his boyhood club following Karl Robinson’s midweek exit from The Valley.

A stunning third-minute Lewis Page volley gave the interim manager the perfect start, with the points wrapped up in the 17th minute by Michal Zyro’s header.

The success closes the gap on Plymouth to just two points, a result which had Bowyer more than suitably impressed afterwards.

He said: “It couldn’t have gone any better – three points, a clean sheet, everybody worked as a team, we moved the ball well and we created chances.

“I think we could have scored maybe four or five on another day.

“Our keeper made a great save at 1-0. Plymouth are a good team and I think we probably deserved the win.

“For me it was perfect. The players did everything I asked and I am really proud of them.”

The caretaker manager also singled out Page for his stunning third-minute opener.

Bowyer added: “We could have actually scored just before that when Michal Zyro went through and the defender made a great block.

“But I am really pleased for Pagey because it has been tough for him. He has been out a long time injured so hopefully things can start getting better for him.

“I told the players before the game to work hard as a team because when you start doing things as individuals then it is never going to work.

“My message was to work hard as a team, respect the team you are playing and just enjoy it because when you are on a run like we were on then your confidence goes.

“So I’ve just been trying in the last couple of days to make them believe in themselves again because they are a good side and we have a good squad of players.”

Plymouth went into this clash having suffered just one defeat in their previous 17 games, form which has propelled them from relegation candidates to unlikely play-off hopefuls.

But manager Derek Adams had few complaints with the result, accepting Charlton were the worthy winners even if the outcome might have been different had Ryan Taylor not hit a post with the game still at 1-0.

Adams said: “I thought that Charlton started as the better team. They started on the front foot and won a lot of the second balls.

“They deserved to get the opening goal when they did and it was a fantastic strike.

“They quickly after that got a second goal but in that in between period we hit a post.

“If it goes in to get back to 1-1 then you never know but over the 90 minutes we didn’t create enough chances and Charlton deserved to win the match with the two goals that they scored.”

Adams added: “Page’s goal was a fantastic strike from outside the area and I thought he took it very well.

“It gave them very good confidence, it gave the stadium confidence and they moved forward from there.

“They got their goal very quickly and it settled them down and it is a credit to them.”

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