Sheffield Wednesday 'proved a few points' in 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic, says Garry Monk

The Owls secured their first Championship win in six matches after goals either side of half-time from centre-forwards Steven Fletcher (2) and Atdhe Nuhiu.

Victory over the injury-hit Addicks nudged Wednesday up to ninth, just two points adrift of the play-off positions ahead of their busy December fixture programme.

"The players proved a few points," said Monk. "We have had opportunities in previous games.

"You look at the Birmingham game in midweek and we had more than enough opportunities to take the lead.

"We could easily have felt sorry for ourselves when they (Charlton) equalised, but we didn't and we showed a great response.

"I challenged them to show me they wanted to win. I needed to see that. I thought they responded in the best possible way with that performance.

"We need to kick on and maintain that level."

Monk's troops went ahead in the 17th minute after a deft Fletcher header from a pinpoint Barry Bannan cross.

Fernando Forestieri, handed his first league start since August, inexplicably blazed over from a few yards out after Dillon Phillips denied Fletcher.It threatened to be a costly miss as Macauley Bonne levelled things up 75 seconds later.

But Fletcher and Nuhiu spared Forestieri's blushes by scoring in the final 10 minutes to seal the three points for the Owls.

Asked if he feared it was going to be on those days after Forestieri's glaring miss, Monk said: "No I didn't. I always concentrate on the emotional side of it and could see in their actions and body language what type of day it was going to be for them.

"Of course, you feel in that instance it is undeserved and we should have gone two nil up and not 1-1.

"I challenged the players before the game to show me they wanted to win and they responded.

"I thought they passed a few tests. There will be more tests to come but they have shown they can come through a tricky period and come out the other side of it.