Boss Nigel Adkins remains confident Charlton can reach the Sky Bet League One play-offs after an equaliser in the seventh minute of stoppage time denied them two crucial points in a 2-2 draw at home to Crewe.

Alex Gilbey netted what appeared to be the winner late on after Jayden Stockley had opened the scoring in the first half for the Addicks, but Owen Dale’s second leveller of the game came in the dying moments.

“Listen, the way we look at it, we were in the lead after 96 minutes and then after 97 minutes we were level,” Adkins said.

“We dropped too deep in the last few minutes, our centre-backs didn’t respond quick enough and the lad scored.

“It’s still in our hands. We’ve got to avoid the feeling of disappointment and get ourselves ready for a very tough and very important next game.

“The lads are working so hard, you can see that. You can see the graft and they had to graft hard tonight against Crewe who, give them credit, played very good football.

“But that could end up being a very valuable point, in the grand scheme of things. We’ve got to win our last three games, but the other teams have to win theirs as well and it is very much in our own hands.”

Charlton, managed by Lee Bowyer at the time, were 2-0 winners at Crewe on the opening day of the season.

And Alex boss David Artell believes his side showed how much they have matured and improved since that fixture.

“I thought that our lads tonight, to a man, were terrific,” he said.

“Yes, there were some tough bits in it and one or two of them had a tough five minutes or so, but they kept getting back up off the canvas and kept coming back for more and more. They kept the ball well and they were excellent.

“I think Charlton are a better team now than they were on the first day of the season. They’re an excellent team, well run and well managed. It wasn’t an easy game.

“In the first game of the season we were so open and so naive, it took some of the players four or five games before they found their feet. But tonight, you could see the progression we’ve made.

“I thought we were the better team at times. And I don’t mean anything against Charlton, this is just my humble opinion and I’m sure many will disagree, but I felt we deserved all three points.”