Nigel Adkins relishing final shot at League One play-offs

Posted Wednesday, May 05, 2021 by PA

Charlton manager Nigel Adkins is looking forward to welcoming old club Hull to The Valley on Sunday after his side’s 3-1 win over Lincoln kept their Sky Bet League One play-off hopes alive.

Adkins was in charge of the Tigers between 2017 and 2019, and on the final day of the regular league season they will arrive in London as champions with nothing but pride to play for.

Victory for the Addicks, plus results going their way elsewhere, will see them snatch sixth place and the chance to be promoted alongside Hull.

“In the second half we had a good spell where we scored three goals and could have scored more,” Adkins said of the crucial midweek win. “The momentum was there.

“We beat the best-performing away team in the league. They’ve already qualified for the play-offs, so we know they’re a good side.

“Great credit to the players because at 0-0 at half-time, they found a way to win when we knew we needed to win.

“We know the goal difference is against us and if other teams win, we can’t make the play-offs. But all we can do is win our last two games. We won this game and we’ve taken it to the last game of the season. Now, anything can happen.

“We are going to entertain the champions on Sunday, Hull City, credit to them for that. I presume they’re going to get the trophy at the game as well.

“It’s great to see them doing well. Fantastic for everybody involved there that they won the league but from our point of view, we need to win the game on Sunday if we want to try and join them.”

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton admitted he was disappointed with the performance over 90 minutes despite his side already being assured of a play-off spot.

“To a degree it’s a shame,” he explained. “I thought we were fine and looked more threatening in the first half but lacked that little quality.

“Then, early in the second half, I felt we lacked aggression and they got their goals. I’m disappointed in terms of one or two personnel. I was hoping they’d show me they deserve to be more involved.

“A little bit more experience may have helped us in defence in that second half. But it’s about trying to build up the players and hopefully getting them to peak at the right time.

“But it is what it is. We will look very different come Sunday and come the play-offs.

“It could have been very different tonight and if there was something more on the game I feel it would have been different. But for 45 games the group has been very good.”