Nathan Jones happy to leave former club Southampton with point for Charlton

Former Southampton manager Nathan Jones praised Charlton’s resilience after his team battled to a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.

Sonny Carey equalised in the 67th minute after Ross Stewart had given Saints the lead three minutes after half-time in a game dominated by the home side.

Jones said: “It’s a good point to take away here. These are a really good side at this level.

“After what they did to us at home when we were too open and gave up too many clear-cut chances, we knew we couldn’t do that and we didn’t.

“I thought we were really good defensively, very disciplined.”

Jones spent an ill-fated 95 days in charge of Southampton in the 2022-23 season and was jeered throughout by the home supporters.

He said: “I’ve got no affiliation here, really. I was a brief time here. I think I spent more time in Starbucks than I have at this football club, so it’s not the same. But it’s another really testing football club to come back to, because they’re a very good side.

“They’ve got wonderful players. I think probably the outstanding player in the Championship they have, Leo Scienza, I think there’s very few better than him on his day. But I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of my club.”

The travelling supporters chanted “we are staying up” at full-time after watching their team claim a point at in-form Saints, who dominated this game for long spells and are now unbeaten in six.

Tonda Eckert’s side had 72 per cent of the possession and 23 shots but could not add to Stewart’s goal early in the second half when he headed in Scienza’s cross.

That was cancelled out by Carey’s equaliser in the 67th minute when he fired in from the edge of the area, with Saints goalkeeper Daniel Peretz getting a hand to the shot but failing to keep it out.

It dented Southampton’s charge for the play-offs after they had won four of their last five Championship games.

Eckert said: “Obviously in those games, especially at home, we play to win, I think that’s very clear.

“Especially if you go up in the second half, I think that we have done this in a couple of games now where we’ve managed to bring those games over the line or then score a second goal.

“Didn’t manage it today, so for the moment there’s a little bit of disappointment on the result, but they’ll be gone by tomorrow morning and then we go again on Tuesday.”

He added: “I think sometimes you just need that one moment, that one spark to put the ball in the back of the net.

“We didn’t have that, but a big game is coming up on Tuesday against QPR and that will be the focus from tomorrow morning.

“A lot of teams around the top six drew or lost so it just shows that it’s not as straightforward as winning every single week.”