Denmark international striker Simon Makienok has been revelling in the aftermath of scoring a crucial goal in Charlton Athletic's surprise win over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on Saturday.

Makienok tapped in Johann Berg Gudmundsson's pass on the stroke of half-time to give the Addicks a two-goal lead which they eventually managed to hold on to in a 3-1 victory at The Valley, their first win in 12 league games.

Addicks climb table after 'almost perfect' performance

The result saw Charlton move past Bolton Wanderers at the bottom end of the table and though they still reside in the relegation zone, only a single point currently separates them from safety.

Speaking with the club's official website after the game, Makienok beamed that the feeling of having played "almost the perfect game" after their winless streak was "hard to describe".

He noted that the victory would be crucial in restoring his and his teammates' confidence in themselves under the new management of Karel Fraeye, saying that the game was "very important".

Makienok touched by Armed Forces' pre-match talk

While keen to stress the key role played by defensive midfielder Alou Diarra in Saturday's victory, Makienok revealed that the fact of the match coming on remembrance weekend had also proved important.

The Addicks had received a pre-match pep talk from a member of the Armed Forces, and Makienok said that it was crucial for his teammates to be given the "bigger picture", with the speaker stressing that in sport as well as the military, teamwork is fundamental.

"It made a big impact on me," Makienok admitted, adding that it was "a very good thing" for the side to have heard before what was likely to prove a difficult game.

Charlton face tough run of fixtures

The 24-year-old, who has six senior caps for his native Denmark, also pointed to the significance of getting the win before the upcoming international break, as Fraeye now has two weeks to prepare his side for their next set of fixtures.

Charlton travel to Birmingham City and Brighton and Hove Albion either side of a home fixture with Ipswich Town over the course of the three weekends following the break, with the Addicks having to test their mettle against a number of promotion hopefuls as they bid to climb up the league table.

Makienok is currently on loan at The Valley, having failed to make an impression during his time at parent club Palermo of the Italian Serie A.

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About the author
Sam France
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor at VAVEL UK, part of the VAVEL team 2014-2018.