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Inside View with Charlton defender Sam Sodje

Sam Sodje
Sam Sodje

It was good to be at the centre of attention on Monday – at both ends of the pitch.

In the first half, I scored the winning goal to give us victory against Carlisle United and make it two out of two over the Easter weekend.

But I was equally pleased with my contribution in the other penalty area – albeit at the same end of the pitch – in the second half as I just managed to get the ball off their striker, Jason Price, before he shot.

They’re the sort of challenges you have to make as a defender and you know it will probably be a penalty if you don’t get it right, so that was just as important as my goal.

I scored the winner but credit should also go to our wide players over the past few games.

We’ve been working hard on our crossing in training and Frazer Richardson, Gary Borrowdale and Lloyd Sam have put some good deliveries into the box recently.

I always knew I’d get a chance against Carlisle. The defender wasn’t keeping hold of me as Frazer prepared to take the corner and it was a great inswinging cross that was difficult for their keeper, so when he missed the ball, I just knew I had to put my head on it.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it a Sodje double because my brother Akpo had a goal ruled out by the referee. It’s a shame because we would have been the first brothers to score in the same match for the club.

It was a good goal as well. We’re wishing that it happens at some point this season.

I’m only one goal behind Akpo in the scoring stakes now this season and we do talk about who’s going to score the most.

I’ve told him that I’m not betting money on it, though, because he’s a striker, he has more chances to score, so I should get a headstart if that was the case. He replies by saying that I’ve started more games than him because he only came to the club midway through the season.

A few people have asked me about my celebration in front of the home dugout and I was running to celebrate with Steve Allen, our head physio.

I’ve had a few injuries so it’s not been easy but the medical staff have looked after me and I played two games in three days over Easter. I’m back on my game again and enjoying my football.

Six points from three days was great but we know it’s just the start if we want to get promotion to the Championship.

We’ve got Southampton away this weekend and then our promotion rivals Colchester and Norwich on Tuesday and the following weekend, so it’s three big games.

We’re right in the frame at the moment, which is just what we wanted at the start of the season.

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