Charlton slumped to a 4-0 tonking at Huddersfield on Saturday. Goals from Steve Mounie, Junuinho Bacuna‎ and a brace from Addicks old boy, Karlan Grant, sealed the south Londoners fate.

In truth, Lee Bowyer’s side were second best all afternoon.

It has been a wretched few‎ days in Yorshire – two games, two defeats, six goals conceded and none scored. The south Londoners are now hovering just  above the drop zone in 20th position, level on points with Stoke, and just two points ahead of two of the teams filling the relegation places.

‎One of those teams – Middlesbrough visit the Valley on Saturday – with a trp to fast fading Hull scheduled for the following Saturday.

Charlton must target six points from those two games to keep their heads above water.

After the game Bowyer freely admitted that his team’s performance had not been good enough and took full responsibility:

‎”It was not good enough. The first half was bad, it was poor. I take full responsibility for it. I picked the team, I picked players that I thought would do better playing the diamond and it didn’t work. We were too soft, too passive.

“In the second half we changed it and I thought we were better. We created and got into some good areas but just the quality at the end wasn’t there. 

“We should have at least scored to level up before they got the second. I was disappointed as their second one was handball and that knocked the stuffing out of us really.”

Bowyer acknowledged that it was poor fare for the travelling fans and stressed how important they are: 

“We’re going to need them (against Middlesbrough). I apologise for that result. I’m the manager and I take full responsibility for that. It’s disappointing but we need them next week. We need them, they are going to play an important part.

“They (the players) are disappointed, that won’t happen again. Maybe that’s what they needed, something like that to give them a kick up the backside. Because they can’t perform like that and defend like that between now and the end of the season because if we do we won’t be in this league next year.

“It’s not acceptable to lose by four, ok two were in injury time, but that’s not what we are about. We have to keep working hard, stick together and keep fighting.”

Charlton: Phillips; Matthews, Oshilaja, Pearce, Doughty; Cullen, Oztumer (Williams 46), Lapslie (Hemed 82), McGeady (Bonne 61); Taylor, Green‎.

Subs (not used): ‎Amos, Purrington, Davis, Smith. 

Booked: ‎Lapslie 82 (foul), Hemed 86 (foul).

Huddersfield: Lossl; Simpson, Stearman, Schindler, Toffolo; Chalobah, O’Brien, Willock (Bacuna 66), Smith-Rowe. (Pritchard 70); Grant, Campbell (Mounie 73).  ‎

Subs (not used): Coleman, Kachunga, Quaner, Stankovic.

Goals: Grant 25, 90, Mounie 75, Bacuna 90.‎

Booked: Chalobah 88 (foul).‎

Referee: Geoff Eltringham‎ (Tyne & Wear).

Attn: 21, 539 (825 Charlton).