Charlton's Bowyer setting no targets in League One run in

The Charlton manager conceded that automatic promotion is out of reach following their 1-1 draw at Doncaster last weekend but with his side firmly chasing a spot on the play-offs he’s aware they can’t afford to take their foot off the gas.

Currently in fifth, they welcome fourth places Portsmouth to The Valley this weekend knowing three points would maintain their five-point gap to seventh placed Peterborough and go some way to ensuring a shot at promotion via the play-off route.

“It’ll go to the wire,” he said.

“It happened last year, no-one expected us to get to the play-offs but it can happen again.

“I can’t see it happening this year but it can happen.

“That’s why we have to concentrate on what we are doing.”

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Aim to Win

Last month Bowyer set his side a target of winning ten games from their remaining 14 to achieve automatic promotion, but following two draws and one win, as well as results going against them, the play-off is the only realistic way of going up a tier.

Instead of setting targets to remain in the play-off race, Bowyer had just one objective.

“We play Portsmouth and our aim is to win, we play Burton on Tuesday and our aim is to win.

“We have to win games and do what we are good at.

“If we do what we are good at, we’ll be fine.

“I haven’t set a points total, you can’t because nothing is predictable.

“We have a good bunch of lads, very professional, we’ve got the fans behind us, so for me we are in a good place.”

Bowyer also revealed that each game from now until the end of the season is vital.

“Now we are getting to that stage where every game is massive, everybody is playing for something.

“Us and Portsmouth are playing for the same prize and that’s promotion.”

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