Charlton were far from being at their best and one or two players – Bradley Wright-Phillips in particular – looked jaded.

With another game on Tuesday, Powell will have to look at his squad carefully.

Though Charlton were pressed back for periods, neither Ben Hamer nor John Sullivan were called upon to make meaningful saves. Like many sides in this division, Bournemouth can play decent football but lack a cutting edge. Powell saw it this way:

“I said to Lee Bradbury afterwards it was a 0-0 today.

“It was a real smash and grab for us today, without a doubt but you need these things to go for you in a season.

“It was a tricky game for us away from home but we like playing away as our results have shown so far.

“In all games sometimes can come down to a moment’s quality which we got in the set play.

“Danny Haynes has come on and was lively as he always is and Yann got on the end of it. He has been superb for us and was maybe due for a goal,” said the manager.

Danny Haynes came on for the disappointing Wright-Phillips and his persistence won the corner that produced the winning goal. Powell continued his analysis and gave details of Ben Hamer’s injury:

“We had one or two situations today where with the right pass and the right composure we could have opened our account but we carried on and when we score we don’t lose. The two we haven’t scored in we have lost.

“It’s a slight twist to his (Hamer’s) ankle. We will get it assessed tomorrow and we’ll know a bit further on Monday morning.

“Over the summer I thought we are going to have moments during the 46 games. It’s a long, long season.

“Things will go right for you and at Chesterfield in the week we could have scored a lot more.

“Today we were not in the ascendancy as much, but you have got to stay in there as you never know what might happen.

“A point here today would have been fantastic. We have got to negotiate some really tough games, some really tricky games.

“Teams obviously want to beat us because we are the leaders and we are going to their home ground, and they want to put one over on us. So we have to handle that.

“It’s a lot the boys have to do, not only physically but mentally and I’m proud of each and every one of them,” continued Powell.

Chris has worked hard on the team spirit and their dedication is there for all to see. He took 20 players to the south coast, those involved in the game plus Cedric Evina, Bradley Pritchard, Andy Hughes and Scott Wagstaff. Earier in the season it was normal for 18 players to travel to away games but as the season approaches its finale, the manager wants all his squad to be part of things. Here are his thoughts:

“I brought virtually all the squad here today,” he said.

“I wanted them all together in this run in.

“It’s important that they feel for one another when they are not picked and that carries you through.

“I felt today the spirit again amongst them got us the three points in the end. I would have been pleased with one but I’m a manager and I’ll take three every time,” concluded a happy manager.

Powell was part of Charlton’s last championship winning team and as a fairly recently retired player, he knows how to keep his players happy.

As the finishing line gets ever closer a few nerves will kick in and Powell is the ideal person to banish them.