Lyle Taylor admits he didn’t think Charlton would come back from their disastrous start in the League One play-off final against Sunderland – but is pleased to have been proven wrong.

Dillon Phillips failed to control Naby Sarr's pass back to him as the goalkeeper saw the ball roll into the Addicks' net after just five minutes.

But despite shock own goal, Ben Purrington grabbed the equaliser before Patrick Bauer sent Charlton back into the Championship with a sensational 94th minute winner.

Taylor, who was voted the club’s player of the season, said it was the “worst start possible” but encouraged the team to be fearless going into the second half.

 “It's a great finish from Naby to be honest! It was honestly the worst start possible,” he said. “I'll be honest with you, I didn't think we were going to come back from it but this group of boys just prove me wrong at every turn.

“I mean, I say prove me wrong at every turn, they prove the doubters wrong at every turn. They've proved me wrong for the first time.

“I've never been wrong. I'm 29 and a half now and I've never been wrong, ask my mum!

“But no, honestly, these boys are something else. Something else entirely.

“[At half-time] I said, 'Boys, there's no point worrying about it you might as well just enjoy it now. It's 0-0 again'. I said, 'Naby, what a finish lad!' and I just said let's go, we've got absolutely nothing to lose and nothing to fear.

“I mean, look what happens?”

While Charlton had their two leading scorers in Taylor and Joe Aribo throughout, with 35 goals between team, it was a pair of unlikely heroes who rescued their promotion hopes.

Neither Bauer nor Purrington had scored for Charlton this season up until the final, and it was Taylor who teed up the first to level the scores thanks to Anfernee Dijksteel’s backheeled flick to him.

Bauer’s dramatic goal also came just over a week after the birth of his first child, helping the Addicks see off Doncaster Rovers in the semi-finals later that same day.

“It's about time someone else scored! Honestly, me and Aribo, like, it's hard work being me and him right now!” Taylor added.

“Nah, it's fantastic. To see us win the game is just everything.

“I said this week, 'I don't care who scores'. Boys were saying, 'Lyle, this is made for you against them', and I just said, 'I don't care who scores, if it goes in off someone's backside [then so be it]. I said I just want to win the game'.

“Pat scored and everyone just ran off in separate directions, and the next thing I saw Johnnie [Jackson, Charlton's assistant manager] and I thought, 'What's Johnnie doing there?'

“Honestly, he'd done 40 or 50 yards in a split-second! I'm sure we can get him fit and he'll play next year. Player-assistant manager, there you go. I'll give him that role.

“But honestly, unbelievable, and the support ... wow. I've honestly got no words at the moment, I don't really know what to say but just wow. What a day.”