Chris Lock was pleased with his side's performance on Tuesday evening as they beat AFC Croydon Athletic 2-1 in the London Senior Cup.
"It was a really good game. We had a lot of changes to contend with before, players not being available, contending with injuries and things, overall, it was a good performance," Lock explained.
The young Addicks conceded late on in the game, almost giving the home side a way back into the tie.
"We need to have the players understand what real pressure is and what perceived pressure is," the manager said.
"In a lot of those moments towards the end of the game, the players are getting a bit edgy, that edginess is causing them to make poor decisions and giving away goals. That is more of an emotional thing than a football thing. For us as staff, we need to look at those reasons why and give the players the tools to use in those last 10 or 15 minutes of games to see them out."
Reuben Reid and Taku Muvhuti were both substituted through injury during the game.
"We will have a look and see how they are in the next couple of games. We are hoping Reuben Reid is hopefully just cramp, Taku [Muvhuti] was definitely cramp and we just took some precautions."
Charlton’s U21s advance to the third round of the competition, which the academy has won on two previous occasions.
"They all did really well today," Lock said.
"We targeted the London Senior Cup as a competition where some of the U21s that haven’t played a lot of minutes can play, and more importantly we taken the opportunity to stretch some of the second year scholars, to play with the U21s and to play against men."
"We look to the next game and then the next one. As a player, there is no better thing than when you have game after game, for us as staff, we have to make sure the players are prepared for it."
"Making sure they get the right amount of rest, the right fuelling and that the training loads are perfect, to make sure that we can go again because we have a game on the Tuesday, a game on the Friday and a game the following Monday. We have travelling and an overnight stay in amongst that all the way down in Swansea, and this is real football, and the players are getting to feel exactly what that is like."
Chris Lock's side are back in action on Tuesday, October 20th, as they travel to the Yeomans Community Stadium to take on Tonbridge Angels in the Kent Senior Cup (7.45pm BST).
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.
