Nathan Jones described Charlton’s win at Cambridge was crucial in their bid for promotion.
Charlton’s victory and Wrexham’s earlier draw lifts Jones’ side to within six points of second, leaving them an outside chance of an automatic promotion spot with four games remaining.
Conversely Cambridge sit seven points from safety and their relegation from League One could be confirmed as soon as Good Friday if results go against them.
Tyreece Campbell scored after 14 minutes and that proved decisive as Charlton recorded a 1-0 success.
“This is a really, really tough place to come,” Jones said. “Firstly, they’re fighting for their lives. Secondly, they’re a Neil Harris side who will be front-footed and very difficult to beat.
“The conditions were really difficult for a good footballing game. The pitch was dry and bobbly, it’s a slope, there’s wind, everything that can go against a spectacle is here.
“We’ve had to do all the basics really well today. Apart from a scramble right at the end I felt we were relatively comfortable but we had to defend well.
“I’ve said this is our most difficult game in our run-in. The attitude and application you have to show for 97, 98 minutes when you come here is probably more than in other games.
“The others take care of themselves. Two games at the Valley, conditions won’t come into that because of the stadium and the pitch. Then we have games against two sides above us, motivation will be there. This is the game you have to get yourself up for.”
Neil Harris expressed his frustration that Cambridge had not been able to turn promising positions into chances.
“It’s levels sometimes in football,” he said. “Players are at a level for a reason. Charlton are where they are for a reason and we’ll end up where we end up for a reason.
“Today sums it up. Between both boxes we were the better team. We had a good identity, we played well, we got from box to box quite easily and smoothly at times and showed some real quality.
“But then when we got around the box it just becomes about levels. Football matches, 99 times out of 100, are won in both boxes and today they had one moment of quality in our box. It’s a really good strike and it ends up in the back of our net.
“I lost count of the amount of times we got to the corner of their box and didn’t quite have the quality to either create something with one v one ability or create something with that killer pass or cross. When we did get the ball in there, we’re just not good enough to get on the end of it.”
