Bowyer thrilled with ‘perfect’ performance as Charlton see off Barnsley

Charlton boss Lee Bowyer hailed the “perfect team performance” from his side as they beat in-form Barnsley 2-0 at the Valley.

Bowyer also highlighted the pace and awareness of two-goal former England Under-19 striker Karlan Grant, who has now netted seven league goals this season.

Charlton’s first victory in four League One games leaves them four points off the top six and Bowyer could barely have been happier with how things went.

He said: “It was the perfect team performance.

“They battled against the best team we have played this season. The back four, the goalie, they competed, defended like men. The midfield covered every blade of the grass, running and competing for every second ball and once they have got it they are playing.

“In that dressing room we have everything, we have absolutely everything. What we need now is to go on another run. That is one game but we have 30 games to go. If we keep doing what we showed today we will definitely be up there.”

Greenwich-born Grant, 21, was loaned out to Crawley last season but now looks like a fixture in Bowyer’s starting line-up.

“Karlan’s playing with lot of confidence,” Bowyer said. “He scares defences with his pace and they back off and back off and he scores a great goal. Then Lyle [Taylor] puts one on a plate for him.”

Bowyer also believes that the partnership of Taylor and Grant will trouble plenty of defences this season.

“I was really pleased for Karlan and Lyle because I know next time Karlan is in the position he will be looking for Lyle,” he said.

“They will both keep scoring goals and lots of them due to the way they play and the way we play. We have quality players in the middle of the park to provide for them.”

Barnsley head coach Daniel Stendel bemoaned his team’s failure to breach a determined Charlton defence as they suffered only their second league defeat of the season .

His team went into the match as the second-highest scorers in the division but seldom threatened the Charlton goal even after the introduction at half-time of top scorer Kieffer Moore, who had been sidelined with an ankle injury.

Stendel said: “We had a lot of ball possession but we didn’t get that big chance and Charlton fought and defended very well.

“We couldn’t find our rhythm or the final pass. We played well but only up to the 18-yard box. Maybe if we had scored one, we would have had the chance to turn the result but today it wasn’t possible.

“At half-time we put on Kieffer Moore to give us a second striker and five minutes later we were 2-0 down and it was very difficult to change the result.

“When you’re 1-0 up at home you get more confident all the time and it’s easier to defend when you don’t give away big chances. It was OK that Charlton won the game.”