‘Won’t be easier chance in EFL’: Charlton Athletic boss rues Millenic Alli miss and penalty claim in Portsmouth draw
The former Pompey man faced stick from the travelling fans at The Valley - and then missed a golden chance to snare the only goal of the Championship clash.
Nathan Jones believes Millenic Alli spurned the easiest chance of the day in the EFL against Pompey.
And the former Charlton Athletic boss rued not being given a late penalty in the 0-0 draw at The Valley yesterday.
Charlton boss Jones: ‘There won’t probably be an easier chance in the Football League’
Former Blues loanee Alli featured for the home side and was given flak by the 3,000-plus travelling crowd throughout the game.
That intensified as the winger somehow fired over from a Tyreece Campbell cross in the 32nd minute, as the home side had the better of the first-half openings.
Jones said to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition: ‘The performance was really good, especially in the first half when we were really fluid. We created some excellent chances, looked a threat and we controlled the game.
‘When you look at the game we had last season (a 3-1 loss to Portsmouth) it was the polar opposite. We had real control, our midfield two were excellent and our wide ones carried a threat. We probably had the only absolutely clear chance of the whole game. It was a clear-cut chance.
‘I’m probably just a little bit frustrated we haven’t won it because if we scored the first goal, especially in the first half, then we are very difficult to beat here.
‘Overall the performance level was there, it’s a clean sheet and some individual performances, plus some partnerships you can see building, it’s not bad.
‘We are evolving, having more possession and creating chances. There won’t probably be an easier chance in the Football league today than Milli Alli’s chance - he is three yards out. He just has to guide it on target and he scores. But he managed to put it over.
‘Karlan (Grant) has had a great chance and we’ve had a load of situations where we haven’t quite finished them. It was a really good game, it was end to end and two committed sides.
‘Last season Portsmouth beat us twice, it’s a better result than we had here last year, albeit they did score, probably, from Blackheath. It was literally where both shots (from Terry Devlin) went in from. We were better in that regard.
‘Some of the chances and pressure, then late on we had real pressure in the last 10 minutes and didn’t create anything clear cut.
‘But they are giving me everything and I can’t question that.’
Jones had a strong view on Benjy Arthur and Miles Leaburn tussling in the box late on, with referee Andrew Kitchen not awarding a spot-kick.
That was a particular frustration as a similar decision went against the Addicks, in their 4-0 thrashing at Stoke City last weekend.
Jones added: ‘It’s no less a penalty than Ben Wilmot’s last week. Ben Wilmot took one step and fell down. Miles Leaburn is watching the ball and gets a nudge in the back. It’s probably the way he went down that probably didn’t (lead to a spot kick).
‘Anywhere else on the pitch, he gets a free-kick for that. I’m not going to comment on referees and linesmen again. It’s a difficult job but some of the decisions, and stuff they do, it baffles me.’