Bright start key for Valley boss (From News Shopper)

Bright start key for Valley boss

10:21am Monday 6th August 2012 in Sport By Paul Green

CHRIS Powell is looking for a positive start to life in the Championship from his newly-promoted Charlton side.

The Addicks are back in the second tier for the first time since 2009 but face a baptism of fire before the first international break with games against Birmingham City, Leicester, Hull and Nottingham Forest.

Powell said: “We are OK defensively.

“I still think there are one or two issues for us but that is normal.

“Every club up and down the country will be looking to just tighten up one or two areas to improve the team, to improve the squad and make sure we are right and ready knowing that once the points are at stake we will be OK.

“The Hartlepool game seems an age away now and all of a sudden the new season is upon us, the Championship season, which we worked so hard for.

“It is now for us to make sure we compete and consolidate in this league and get some momentum and confidence early on.

“I think that is always important, we did it last year and it is mightily important we do it this year.”

Charlton suffered a 1-0 defeat at Gillingham on Saturday and could have few complaints with the result after a disjointed display in Kent.

Danny Kedwell headed the only goal of the game after the visiting defence failed to deal with a long throw into the box and the manager was far from happy with the way it had been conceded afterwards.

Powell said: “I didn’t like it one bit, it was a cheap goal.

“It has happened to us where you win games through set plays, whether they are throws, free-kicks or corners, they are part of the game.

“I’m disappointed because I wanted the run to continue but I suppose really we didn’t start with the urgency and purpose that we would like.

“It was a lot better in the second half and we fashioned more chances and more things flashing across their box but the damage was done.

“We didn’t start with the purpose and the tempo I would like.

“Some players got 90 minutes, which they need now, and we move on to a week’s training before we go to Fulham.

“That was the plan - to try and give over the half the team 90 minutes under their belts.

“In the end I managed to get a few more than that.

“It is all about being ready for not only the Birmingham game, but the Orient game which comes before.”

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt