Charlton caretaker boss Lee Bowyer has put his side’s damaging defeat to Scunthorpe down to tiredness.

The Addicks lost 1-0 to their promotion rivals in a lifeless display at the Valley today.

It’s the club’s second successive defeat and they are now in eighth place, two points outside the top six.

Bowyer told News Shopper: “We didn't compete well enough. We were sloppy in possession and sluggish.

“We didn't move the ball quickly enough and when we won it back, we didn't take care of it. If you don't take care of the ball, teams will hurt you eventually.

“Their goal was well worked but no one has done that to us before. It shouldn't have happened to us either.

“We’ve got little Jay Dasilva just coming back from injury, he says it could've been offside but it doesn't matter, he should've stayed with his runner.

“The right winger runs round the outside of him, he’s got to track him. We’ve got two centre-halves marking one striker in the box and the striker comes out with a tap-in.

“I said to them ‘it’s not good enough, it shouldn't be happening’. That’s what went wrong.”

By the end of April, Charlton will have played seven games in 26 days.

Bowyer has been unable to change his midfield three of Ben Reeves, Jake Forster-Caskey and Joe Aribo because of an injury to Ahmed Kashi, who returned to the matchday squad against Scunthorpe.

The former Leeds star believes his players are suffering from fatigue after the Addicks failed to create a clear-cut chance.

Bowyer added: “They just looked sluggish, the only thing I can put it down to is tiredness. I see them every day in training and it’s sharp.

“It can only be tiredness. Especially my midfield three, they've not had a rest since I’ve taken over. It’s been Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.

“The distance that they're running in games is a lot more than before because of what I’m demanding of them.

“It will catch up with them eventually and today was the day that it caught up. The whole team just didn't look the same.

“We didn't move the ball well and we just weren't at the races. They looked very tired.

“But before today, you had five games left and you're in a play-off position, so I don't care how tired you are, you put in a shift. We struggled there today and it’s frustrating.”

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