It was worth the admission money alone

Alan Pardew had hammered his side after their inept performance against Preston three days earlier but after this game his reaction was completely different. "I feel real sympathy for the players, they gave everything," he said. "Obviously it is a very disappointed dressing room because we felt we played a very good game and have lost to an absolute wonder goal.

"Preston was really our first game where we were really off the pace, but you couldn't accuse us of that tonight. I thought it was a game between two good sides, but I thought we were very unlucky to lose. Sometimes you have to accept defeat but the performance level will make us stronger for Saturday.

"I thought we were in total control before their goal, and then they had a number of chances. We needed a break really. I thought the team deserved one. A break here and there and we would easily have got a goal tonight and that was evident for everyone. If we play at that level of energy and commitment against Ipswich we will get a break.

"This was a much improved performance from Preston and that is a big thing for us. We are focused on every singular game. All I know is the spirit and character in the dressing room is strong and the fans that travelled up will know we put in a proper effort. On another day we would have won the game, but unfortunately we haven't."

I don't think Owen Coyle was surprised by the performance or the result, but he admitted to rubbing his eyes in disbelief when the Wade Elliott scored the only goal of the game. "It was a striker worthy of winning any game," enthused Coyle. "There was a bit of disbelief there because I've never seen Wade score, never mind hitting one like that.

"When it hit the net it was worth the admission money alone and now let's see if we can keep encouraging him to hit them. He has been great for me, but I do think we can add a goal threat to his game."

Coyle knew the importance of the game, and in particular the consequences should we have lost it. "If we had lost we would have been seven points behind Charlton with eight games remaining, so it was the proverbial six-pointer. It was important we came through the game on the right side and we did.

"I thought we started the first twenty minutes well and should have been in front. All credit to Charlton because even with the quality they have got they were trying to get men behind the ball and play on the counter attack.

"We tried to force the issue and spoke at half time about the need to be patient. We did that and got the goal and then we had to withstand a nervy last ten minutes, which was always going to be the case given what was at stake. There were balls going into our box and we had to stand up and be counted, but I felt we were certainly worth the three points if you analyse the game.

"We want to have a style about us and try to pass and move it. The conditions weren't ideal for that, but it won't stop us from trying to get the ball down and trying to play. We were getting plaudits, and rightly so, but we didn't want it to fritter away to nothing and that could have happened.

"If we hadn't won it would have been a big, big ask. I think we can all concede that the top four places will be filled by the teams there at the moment. That means there are two places up for grabs. We are one, but there will be six or seven clubs thinking that.

"We have kept ourselves in it and we have another big six pointer at the weekend against Wolves. But it is a game that we can win if we are at our best."