Charlton's Dillon Phillips on his Wembley Play Off rollercoaster

The 22-year-old goalkeeper endured his nightmare moment in the fifth minute of the EFL League One Play Off as he let Naby Sarr’s backpass roll under his foot to give Sunderland the lead.

A Ben Purrington leveller before the break and a late Patrick Bauer winner turned the tie around but Phillips insisted he will only be better for his early error.

“Listen, I made a mistake,” a confident Phillips admitted.

“It’s a freak thing that hasn’t happened all season, so trust me it would happen at Wembley in front of 76,000 fans.

“He’s passed it back to me, I’m looking for the next pass and it’s skipped up off the surface and it’s beat me.

“I’ve sat in the manager’s office and watched it 15 times, I think I’d like to see the winning goal more than the one that went under my foot.

“But, these things happen, I don’t think anything will phase me after that.

“On the biggest stage we’ve bounced back and I’m over the moon for the lads, myself and the management.”

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Left-back Purrington struck on 35 minutes to level the tie, but leading up to the goal Phillips produced two fine saves from George Honeyman and Grant Leadbitter to calm a clearly rattled Charlton side.

“I just looked at the clock and thought we had 85 minutes to turn it around.

“I was lucky to have an opportunity to make a save five minutes later and that calmed me down a little bit.

“I believed in the boys, every single one of them and they did the job for me at the end of the day and I can’t thank them enough.”

Phillips was seen looking to the heavens after the scores drew level, not a regular custom for the keeper who admitted he and a few team mates found the funny side of it at the break.

“I’m not religious but I was praying to someone!

“A couple of us had a chuckle about it.

“I knew they would.

“We laughed about it but said we are back to square one now, back to where we started, let’s go again.”

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The Academy product has been an ever present since the start of the year when former number one, Jed Steer, was re-called by parent club Aston Villa.

Chris Maxwell arrived on loan form Preston in the same month but Phillip’s outstanding displays cemented his place as the Club’s first choice keeper.

“Football is a funny game,” he continued.

“I played the first six of games then sat the next 20 on the bench thinking it’s never going to happen. “I’m just grateful I’ve had the opportunity today, the support was great for me, they backed me the whole way since I’ve been back in the side.

“What a place and what a day.”

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One-person Phillips singled out for praise was goalkeeping coach Andy Marshall.

“He’s been great for me.

“When he came in pre-season, he saw a lot of things he wanted to improve, I took that onboard.

“I started the season but then got dropped, went away and worked on things I thought I needed to improve and we have done that and I like to think I’ve shown that over the last 27 games.”

Phillips is one of the rare players at The Valley who’s contract doesn’t run out this summer having signed a long term deal two months ago.

The youngster believes the lure of Championship football could be significant in keeping those who will be out of a deal in the next few weeks.

“We want them to stay of course we do, deep down I think they want to stay too, but that’s for them to sort out another time, let the dust settle from today and then let’s go next season.

“I can’t wait for the challenge.

“I think everyone here is good enough to be playing Championship football so now we need to go and prove it.”