U21s Lead Coach Chris Lock had mixed feelings following his side's late 2-1 defeat to Tonbridge Angels in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday evening.
"The whole reason we enter the Cup competitions is to give the lads these types of experiences, challenges and opportunities to go and play against good senior sides, and this game was exactly that," Lock explained.
"It is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde in terms of the way that I feel. You are looking at a majority of an U19s side playing against a very good senior National League South side. The boys have been able to be competitive and given them a good game, to the point where it took a last minute winner for Tonbridge to win it, so in that sense, I feel a little bit of pride."
The young Addicks found themselves trailing for much of the contest but looked to have forced their way back into the tie when Marley Rayment-Dawkins struck in the 83rd minute. However, a late 90th-minute winner for the hosts ensured Tonbridge Angels progressed to the third round of the Kent Senior Cup.
"But on the flip side, the manner of the last minute winner is disappointing. To concede from the set piece, those are something we try to take pride in defending, but there are certain elements and certain areas on the pitch where the players have to feel the pressure and sense the danger, it won’t come from the sidelines, they have to feel it, and in that moment, we needed someone to lead it and we didn’t have anyone," he said.
"They will learn more from a defeat than they will from just going on and winning a game comfortably, 100%. But on the flip side of that, we want to create winners and players tat understand what it is like to go on and win a game 2-1 win the last minute and not lose one, and that is for us to continue to work towards, and the players will get there."
Charlton's U21s are next in action on Friday, October 23rd, as they host Cardiff City's U21s at Sparrows Lane in the PDL (1.30pm BST).
"There will hopefully be no fatigue [going into Friday] but I hope that they will have the bit between their teeth to right they might feel what was a bit of a wrong from this game," he said.
Charlton fans can support the academy by signing up to the Valley Gold scheme. Valley Gold enables fans to support the club's academy in unearthing the talents of tomorrow, as well as giving them the chance to win cash prizes.
Click here for more information on how you can become a Valley Gold member.
