CHARLTON manager Phil Parkinson watched his side begin their League One campaign with a win – but warned the Addicks still have a long road ahead of them.

A goal from Akpo Sodje earned the ten-man Reds a 1-0 victory at home to Bournemouth in a game which also saw several new signings make their Valley debuts.

But Parky still believes his squad are short on numbers and training as a collective unit, and asked for the fans’ patience as the Addicks slowly but surely rebuild from the mass exodus that followed their failure to win promotion last season.

He said after the game: “We’ve got to be careful that we don’t let today’s win hide the fact that this squad’s still not good enough and we’re working very hard towards improving it.

“In that final third we need more options butthe base of the squad is improving and I’ve got to say that all the lads we’ve brought in I’m pleased with but we’re endeavouring to get better.

“It’s been a tough old summer for everybody at the club when you see so many players go but over the last two or three weeks we’ve been seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’ve seen good signs on the training ground and good signs last week at Watford and obviously many positives today.

“It’s been tough for us and I imagine it’s been tough for the supporters every time they switched on Sky or picked up the newspaper and saw another player leaving, but I think they’ve gradually seen that we’re rebuilding this squad and we’re getting there.”

Things don’t get any easier for Parkinson’s men over the next week as they prepare for a further two games in a matter of days, at Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup and then Leyton Orient in the league.

And Parky admitted there will be several changes to the starting eleven on Tuesday evening compared to the side that defeated the Cherries.

He added: “Three games in the first six days of the season is always a big ask because the players aren’t quite up to speed – the match fitness is just about getting there after about four or five games.

“We’ve got to pick a team to win the game on Tuesday but also we don’t want to put anybody at risk and that’s my job along with the physio staff and sports scientists to get that balance right.

“We wanted to get today out of the way and in training we’ll have a look at everybody and make our decision then.”