Paul Hurst: Win showed shades of early season Shrewsbury Town
Boss Paul Hurst felt it was like watching his rampant Shrewsbury side back at the beginning of the season as he hailed one of their best displays in beating Charlton.
Town were well worthy of their 2-0 win at The Valley - a fourth away victory on the spin - thanks to second-half strikes from Alex Rodman and Omar Beckles.
They recovered well from a Jon Nolan first-half penalty miss but totally outclassed their play-off chasing hosts and were the better side in every department.
Hurst compared the performance to Shrews' opening few months of the campaign - where they went 15 league games unbeaten.
He said: "To come here and do that to a team like Charlton, sixth in the table and by Karl's (Robinson) own admission playing some of the best football they have done this season, was a real effort from the players.
"Particularly on the back of getting a little bit of criticism or looking like they're lacking a bit of confidence.
"We've had a few words with a couple over the few days and we spoke about remembering what had got us here at the start of the season with the performances and to enjoy it and be brave.
"If we weren't good enough after that then fair enough but we looked a really good side."
Hurst, whose side remain second in League One and have now claimed more points on the road than at Montgomery Waters Meadow this season, added: "If anything it felt like it was watching the team early season.
"I said to the players they're not going to reach that level of performance every single game - but it was one of the best performances of the season.
"I did enjoy it. A really nice stadium and decent crowd in.
"We talk about results being more important than performance, and at this stage they are, but when you get both it's very pleasing.
"We know what attacking threat they carry but we got through the very small period and after we were the better team for the whole game really."
Hurst referenced the playing surface while lauding his side's stylish and fluent attacking display.
He added: "And (it was) on a pitch - I'm going to say it and people might not like me saying it - that was better to pass the ball on.
"We did the same at Fleetwood on a better pitch.
"It's not excuses it's facts. We managed to do it OK first-half the other night and then found it difficult.
"But today was a good surface and one we took advantage of."
More than 1,200 fans made up The Valley's best crowd this season of 17,581.
Hurst hailed the travelling support, adding the away fans were all that he could hear inside the stadium.
"When you come here, if one of those early chances goes in and they're playing really well then it's something our lads have to contend with," the boss said.
"But to say there were that many fans here, it was our fans I could hear.
"It didn't feel like an intimidating atmosphere because the players' performance took that away from them."
