Andre Bikey revealed Bob Peeters told his Charlton side a clean sheet at Reading would be good enough to secure victory on Saturday.

Igor Vetokele scored the only goal at the Madejski Stadium to ensure the Championship draw specialists came away with three welcome points.

Despite the Royals’ superior possession and shots on goal, they caused few real problems for the visitors with Bikey and centre-back partner Tal Ben Haim particularly instrumental in delivering Peeters’ pre-match demand for a shutout.

Bikey said: “We really needed it. We was talking before the game that in the last game (v Leeds) we were unlucky and that we could have won the game.

“Everyone was focused on what was the target - the main thing was the three points, defend well, and try to get the clean sheet because it has been a few games since we got one.

“The manager said that if we can get a clean sheet today, then he was 100 percent sure we would win the game.

“We tried to win the game and to not only come and get the draw.

“I’m happy with this result because Igor scores the goal, we defend well and it was a great performance.”

Saturday’s result at Reading took Charlton’s points tally to 27, a total they didn’t reach until New Year’s Day last season.

The Addicks have only suffered two defeats to date and the Cameroon international puts the improvement down to a sense of inner belief within the camp.

Bikey said: “The main thing about the mentality in the squad is that everyone wants to be successful, everyone wants to win the game and everyone wants to be in the top ten or top six so that’s a good mentality.

“If you keep that mentality and keep the focus, it can be a good season for us.”

The defender also heaped praise on Vetokele for the way he headed home Chris Solly’s cross six minutes before the break.

“It was an amazing goal that Igor scored,” added Bikey.

“We were talking before the game and he said ‘I have to score, I have to score, I have to score’.  

“I said ‘OK good, if you get one goal then we’ll have to defend’.

“As I said before, we have to keep that mentality and deal with game after game and see what happens.”

The summer signing also explained how the defensive partnership between himself and Ben-Haim has proven to be successful so far.

Bikey said: “If you see in the game, sometimes I shout at him and he shouts at me.

“I can’t blame him because he wants to be successful like me, it’s like that with Johnnie Jackson as well.

“Even when we argue on the pitch, it’s because we want to be successful.

“We know what we want - we don’t give any gift to no-one - and if you make a mistake, you have to make sure you don’t make a mistake next time.

“It’s not in a bad way, it’s just to encourage.”

Bikey had an enjoyable spell at Reading between 2005 and 2009, but claims he only has feelings for Charlton now despite his previous association with the Berkshire outfit.

He said: “Reading is a different club for me, they were the first English club to open the door to me so I’m always happy to be here.

“Today was a special atmosphere, but I have to be professional and right now I already prefer Charlton Football Club.

“I don’t have any interest again in Reading, but it’s a special feeling when I come here because they were in my heart for three or four years.”

All eyes are now on the Millwall fixture shortly after the international break, but Bikey is preparing for it like any other game.

“To be fair I don’t mind about it being a derby,” he proclaimed.  

“We don’t mind if it’s Millwall or Ipswich, we just need three points.

“It’s a home game, we need to beat them.”

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