LEE JOHNSON has urged his Sunderland players to quickly get back to doing things right after a 2-1 home defeat to Charlton which has put a dent into their hopes of promotion from League One.

The third-placed Black Cats’ head coach was frustrated after watching his side’s 14-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end – leaving them five points behind second-placed Peterborough, albeit with one game in hand. They are eight shy of leaders Hull, who have played two games more.

Sunderland could not find a way back from falling two goals behind until Josh Scowen made up for his 31st minute own goal by heading in for the hosts at the Stadium of Light with 13 minutes remaining.

But there was to be no late equaliser for the hosts, who ended up losing because of the way they allowed Alex Gilbey to coast into the box and hit a second for Charlton just after the hour.

But Johnson knows Sunderland could have scored first in the game had Charlie Wyke netted one of his two first half chances.

The Sunderland boss said: “My view on the game, we had the first three of the best chances, I’m disappointed not to take one of those.

“I knew we were up against it officials-wise. Their first goal was partly soft from our view, but partly a foul too.

“We let them off the hook too many times. If you’re going to get clean sheets against a big strong side like Charlton, you have to do your fundamentals.

“If you get enough chances we fancy ourselves to convert a decent rate. We have proven that over a run of games.

“But we carried two or three individuals today and you can’t do that against a top seven or eight side. I have to look back at that.”

While Sunderland, who travel to Wigan on Tuesday, remain in the hunt for a top two spot, Charlton are hoping to climb back into the play-off zone.

The Addicks are now eight matches without defeat and sit a point shy of sixth-placed Lincoln, although they have played a game more.

Charlton boss Nigel Adkins, who has overseen three matches since taking over from Lee Bowyer, said: “That is a good win away from home for us.

“They are a good side, as they demonstrated, and to win here and score two, was very good, and we could have had more. We hit the post in both halves and had other chances.

“I was really pleased with the two goals because we are a threat from set pieces and we felt we could expose that.

“We had to show resilience and grit to play here and get a result against a good side, especially when we gifted them a goal.

“You break it all down and we have so much more to give. This is the important stage of the season when results are everything and we have another good victory to keep us in touch with those final play-off positions.

“Our keeper has made some good saves but Sunderland cross the ball more than another team in the division, so we knew that would happen.”