Charlton 2 (Page 3, Zyro 17) Plymouth Argyle 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Emboldened by their four-month unbeaten run and roared on by over 3,000 of Paul Whitehouse's cocky Green Army, Plymouth Argyle pulled into The Valley clearly expecting to leave a few hours later with all three points.

Argyle's brimming confidence, to be fair, was justified. They were visiting a football club which has become the butt of a joke with the longest punch line in history. Every time you think the last laugh has been wrung from Charlton's antics, they come up with another zinger to keep the mirth alive. Off the field, they've been a toe-curling embarrassment; on the park recently -don't go there, just don't go there. Unless, of course, you want to discuss Saturday's game.

During the week preceding the Pilgrims' arrival, even the departure of Karl Robinson descended into knockabout farce. His resignation was tendered to a slimline board which had been reduced from three members to two since Katrien Meire took it on her toes in January. Its chairman is a lugubrious old Belgian badger, who has prudently stayed out of England since the government declared war on his secretive species. Meanwhile, poor Richard Murray has carried the can alone and has found it lonely at the top.

Already lined up with a job at Oxford, Robinson's resignation became a mini-saga. He found it difficult to find someone qualified to accept it although a tea lady gamely volunteered to forward it. His first effort was eventually rejected, apparently on a split 1-1 vote, so he sought a re-count. This time he was successful and got his way 1-0 with one abstention. Off he trundled to the shires and Plymouth's fate, though far from obvious at the time, was sealed.

Lying in wait for the tearaway Westcountrymen were caretaker manager Lee Bowyer and his right-hand man Johnnie Jackson, both of them boasting solid Charlton pedigrees and each with a point to prove. They had prepared a revitalised side in a re-jigged 4-4-2 formation and unleashed them on unsuspecting Argyle. The visitors were taken by the scruff of their necks and handed a comprehensive hiding in comfortably the Addicks' best performance of an otherwise wretched season. They were never in with a chance.

Bowyer's men announced their aggressive intentions as early as the first minute when Remi Matthews bravely whisked Nicky Ajose's clever flick off Michal Zyro's toes. Plymouth's relief was short-lived as the outstanding Anfernee Dijksteel's cross from the right was inconclusively headed clear by Oscar Threlkeld to Lewis Page, unmarked over 30 yards from goal. A cushioned chest touch set up Page's left-footed volley which screamed beyond Matthews' despairing grasp on its way into the top right corner. Charlton had been given the perfect start on which to build and made a masterclass of it.

Largely untroubled as his side called the tune, Ben Amos promptly did his bit with a key contribution to keep out Argyle's best chance. Plunging low to his left as Ryan Taylor met Gary Sawyer's cutback from the byline, Amos fingertipped the low shot on to the post and safety. The importance of his save increased when the Addicks almost immediately doubled their lead. A sharp interchange of passes after Ben Reeves shrewdly switched play from right to left culminated in Ajose's cross which eluded a packed penalty area but was retrieved by Joe Aribo wide of the far post. The midfielder shifted the ball to his left foot before providing a perfect delivery which Zyro powered past Matthews.

Required to protect their lead for over 70 minutes, Charlton coped almost effortlessly. Centre backs Patrick Bauer and Jason Pearce were ruthless stoppers, unbeatable in the air and never reluctant to put a foot through the ball when necessary. Dijksteel compensated for the odd positional misjudgement with blistering speed and muted the threat offered by playmaker Graham Carey; on the opposite flank, left back Page followed his wonder strike with a sound, sensible performance.

Reeves was a busy, constructive influence in midfield alongside Jake Forster-Caskey's man-of-the match display, Aribo continued his impressive improvement, Tarique Fosu's pace and trickery frequently tied Argyle in knots. Up front, the skilful Ajose deserved a goal while, in Zyro, Bowyer has a centre forward capable of protecting the ball, passing it accurately and clearly with a goal in his repertoire.

"They were all men today," summarised a pleased but down-to-earth Bowyer, "I have no doubt we'll make the play-offs." Plymouth's reaction to rare defeat was slightly more puzzling. "Argyle continued to be the side who dictated the pace of the game" is a typical comment lifted from the club website's relentlessly optimistic match report. And with history duly re-written, the visitors probably enjoyed their long journey home. They were laughing when they arrived. And still managing faint smiles as they left. They might fade, though, when the truth kicks in.

Charlton: Amos, Dijksteel, Bauer, Pearce, Page (Sarr 88), Aribo, Reeves (Maloney 90), Forster-Caskey, Fosu, Ajose (Marshall 82), Zyro. Not used: Phillips, Kaikai, Lennon, Umerah. Booked: Bauer, Forster-Caskey.

Plymouth: Matthews, Sawyer, Songo'o (Fletcher 54), Ness, Carey, Lameiras (Taylor-Sinclair 54), Makasi, Threlkeld, Vyner, Fox (Paton 72), Taylor. Not used: Letheren, Ainsworth, Grant, Sangster. Booked: Paton.

Referee: John Busby.

Att: 13,989 (3,034 visiting).

Charlton 0 Fleetwood Town 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

As losing contributors to the ghastliest game of football any of its traumatised witnesses will wish to recall, Charlton quickly followed up their midweek horror show at Blackpool with another performance of soul-destroying incompetence. With the unapologetically negative co-operation of point-seeking Fleetwood Town, they came nightmarishly close to re-running the Bloomfield Road shambles for the benefit of their home fans. But they fell short. That standard is all but impossible to duplicate.

For one thing, the Addicks held Fleetwood to a draw. That's an improvement in itself. And for another, they also recorded a rare clean sheet and even went so far as surviving three added minutes without collapsing into rubber-legged defeat. Not only that, the stand-off helped them maintain their 13-point advantage over the Cod Army, who currently sit fifth from bottom in League One. It's time to relax, Charlton are safe from relegation. Well, safeish.

There was little else to comfort beleaguered boss Karl Robinson, who watched his side dominate possession, while peppering the visitors with 17 shots, only 2 of which were actually on target. "That's the story of our season", he groaned, "there was only one team in it...it was as simple as that. It's two points dropped today." It's hardly helpful to point out that those two dropped points might well have swelled to three, had Town made more of the two clearcut second half chances they created on the end of lightning counter-attacks.

The first of them saw Ben Amos' outstretched right boot foil Ashley Hunter in one-on-one confrontation after the dangerous winger was sent clear by Kyle Dempsey; but Charlton should have been punished for Jason Pearce's catastrophic error when Paddy Madden broke away to set up a shooting opportunity which substitute Conor McAleny, Oxford United's matchwinner here last season, screwed wastefully wide.

At the other end, Alex Cairns was relatively untroubled. Charlton's 17 shots were mostly comically feeble efforts, the last minute aberration skied by Naby Sarr into a derisive North Stand painfully typical of their boss-eyed marksmanship. It's frankly hard to recall the pair of attempts alleged to have arrived on target but it's safe to claim that neither of them unduly inconvenienced Cairns.

Weaving their usual tippy-tapping patterns around the edge of the visitors' penalty area, the Addicks were toothless where it counted. Their early chances fell to Ben Reeves whose free kick, after Tarique Fosu was chopped down by Madden, rebounded to him off the wall and was volleyed well wide. Reeves then charged down Gethin Jones' clearance, darted clear but fired a low drive across goal and wide of the far post. For Fleetwood, Madden met Wes Burns' cutback from close range only to drive his shot against Patrick Bauer. Hunter was their main man and after depositing Ezri Konsa on his posterior, his left-wing cross whizzed to safety through a congested six-yard box. And that, stand on me, does justice to the first half "action."

Things didn't exactly take off in the second period, either, to be honest. The Addicks buzzed around in possession of a ball they passed to each other like a hot potato. It became a bit bewildering at times as the Cod Army formed up stoically and channelled them into meaningless cul-de-sacs. The occasional shot sailed harmlessly high or wide, unlike those beauties we wistfully watch on Channel Five every Saturday evening, being skilfully bent, chipped or blasted home for the likes of Accrington Stanley or Lincoln City by blokes we've never heard of. And all expertly analysed for us by a writhing, gurning, lip-licking Clinton Morrison, who also assures us that some manager or other "is doing a great job." Clinton's savvy is invaluable because he has turned out for almost every club from the Championship down to League Two.

So it's farewell, meanwhile, to Blackpool and Fleetwood, next door neighbours whose back to-back partnership exploded Charlton's last lingering fantasy of play-offs qualification. But hold on a minute. Plymouth Argyle are up next, only five points ahead of the Addicks, who have a game in hand. What if we beat Argyle? That would put Charlton only two points behind the Pilgrims, still with that game in hand. Hold up...tell that fat lady to stick around but not to actually start singing yet...

Charlton: Amos, Konsa, Bauer, Pearce, Sarr, Aribo, Forster-Caskey, Marshall (Kaikai 66), Reeves (Ajose 60), Fosu, Magennis (Zyro 60). Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Jackson, Lennon, Dijksteel. Booked: Kaikai.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Coyle, Eastham, Bolger, Jones, Sowerby, Dempsey, Diagouraga, Hunter, Madden (Hiwula 87), Burns (McAleny 75). Not used: Neal, Pond, Grant, Maguire, Glendon. Booked: Diagouraga.

Referee: Mark Heywood. Att: 9,865 (105 visiting).

Peterborough United 4 (Hughes 44, Maddison 59,pen, Marriott 81, 84) Charlton 1 (Zyro 74).

Kevin Nolan reports from London Road.

Capable of plumbing unexplored depths of ineptitude, Charlton's play-offs credentials were exposed as fanciful by bright, buoyant Peterborough, whose victory catapulted them over their victims into the last play-offs spot. As usual in this mediocre division, favourable results elsewhere sustained the mathematical illusion that the Addicks are still alive and kicking. Indeed, if they win the first of their games in hand, in the last chance saloon at Blackpool on Tuesday evening, they could feasibly force their way back into the top six. The standard is frankly that poor.

In contention during all but the last minute of an even first half, the Addicks were looking forward to the break when, with an inevitability sickeningly familiar to their long-suffering fans, they conceded in chaotic circumstances. It was downhill from that point with a missed penalty compounding their misery.

Forced into further changes by recent injuries to Jay Dasilva and Ahmed Kashi, Karl Robinson boldly named Naby Sarr at left back while delegating holding midfield responsibility to Johnnie Jackson in what appeared to be a 4-1-4-1 departure from the tried but untrue 4-2-3-1 formation. Neither move was an unqualified success. As huge as Dasilva is diminutive, Sarr tried his best but struggled to cope in his unfamiliar role; Jackson, meanwhile, contributed neat touches and constructive passes but the advancing years have eaten into the dynamism which galvanised so many games during a stellar career. He also played a passive part in the missed penalty which, it could be argued, effectively ended Charlton's prospects.

Opening positively, the visitors forced a flurry of early corners and created the better chances. After nine minutes, Joe Aribo's pass allowed Josh Magennis to cut inside from the left to sting Jonathan Bond's palms with a rasping drive; Sarr's long throw was then knocked down by Magennis for Jake Forster-Caskey to bury a volley into the keeper's midriff; Ezri Konsa and Aribo freed Sullay Kaikai to fire an angled shot against the intelligently positioned Bond. At the other end, Omar Bogle's enterprising run made an opening through which the dangerous striker burst to rattle Ben Amos' right-hand post. A competitive but goalless first half was petering out when Posh predictably broke through.

Marcus Maddison's left-sided free kick was met by right back Andrew Hughes's header at the far post but was briefly scraped clear to Joe Ward. With the Addicks in disarray, Ward's cleverly flighted cross was dispatched via Hughes' skilfully cushioned volley into the bottom right corner. A man on a singleheaded mission to revitalise the centre parting, new Peterborough boss Steve Evans hastily revised his intended interval address accordingly.

There was a rude shock in store for weight-watching Evans immediately after resumption as Liam Shepherd's needless shove into Magennis' back was belatedly punished by referee Huxtable, with the help of a rather more eagle-eyed assistant. Assuming spot-kick duties for the first time, Magennis planted a tame effort wide, with better bet Jackson clearly reluctant to step up to the mark.

The effects of Magennis' miss were still being assessed when Maddison earned and helpfully demonstrated the right way to take a penalty. Accelerating past Sarr into the area, the left-footed setpiece expert suckered the novice left back into leaving a foot where a foot didn't belong and tumbled under the boneheaded challenge. From 12 unopposed yards, Maddison was never likely to miss. Nor did he.

With nothing to lose, Robinson turned to Michal Zyro, who replaced the disconsolate Magennis with 25 minutes remaining. The tall, well-built Pole settled down confidently and did enough to stake a valid claim for selection at Blackpool. His well-judged header deftly glanced fellow substitute Ben Reeves' accurate cross past Bond to reduce the arrears and inspired brief hope of an unlikely second recovery from 2-0 down against Posh. Grotesquely botched headed chances by Tarique Fosu, from Zyro's fine cross and Forster-Caskey's corner respectively, hardly helped the cause before hope was quashed by a pair of late strikes from Jack Marriott, League One's top scorer.

Marriott's first goal owed much to the persistence of Danny Lloyd, who refused to accept that Chris Forester's long raking pass would run out of play over the left byline. His lungbursting commitment was capped by a cutback squeezed across to Marriott, who swept home his 20th league goal of the season at the near post. His 21st followed three minutes later as Referee Huxtable applied intelligent advantage when Sarr clumsily wiped out Maddison on the right touchline, allowing Shephard to run on to the loose ball and deliver a low, bouncing centre which Marriott stooped to nod past Amos. The rout was complete. Yet another tour-de-farce from Charlton. And unless the worm begins its turn at Bloomfield Road, still one more season in the steady decline of a club with a proud past, a decaying present and an uncertain future.

Peterborough: Bond, Shephard, Hughes, Baldwin, Forrester, Maddison, Marriott, Ward (Doughty70), Da Silva Lopes (Anderson 83), Bogle (Lloyd 76), Taylor.Not used: O'Malley, Morais, Freestone, Cooper. Booked: Baldwin.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Pearce, Sarr, Jackson (Ajose 68), Aribo, Forster-Caskey, Kaikai (Reeves 64), Fosu, Magennis (Zyro 64). Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Bauer, Marshall, Lennon.

Referee: B. Huxtable.

Charlton 0 Shrewsbury Town 2 (Rodman 52, Beckles 67).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

If only Charlton had capped their blistering start to this game with a goal, you might have been reading a different story; and you might be feeling more optimistic about their prospects of escaping this dreadful division. But "if ifs and ands were pots and pans there'd be no work for tinkers' hands". Charlton failed to score during their brief purple patch and, unless you're a usefully employed tinker, you might feel it's time to give up on promotion. If only... two words which begin every lament for losers.

Charlton's first mistake, apart from failing as usual to finish what, for ten irresistible minutes, they so skilfully started, was in making such a fuss of this fixture. Because when the chips (or bacon sandwiches) are down, whenever they provide free travel to "Operation this or Operation that", disappointment hitches a ride. It's written into the club's constitution, not that you ever get used to it. Well, yeah, you do get used to it, actually. What you don't do is learn any lessons from it.

All the necessary ingredients to make this game special were in place on a bitterly cold afternoon which announced winter's intention to go out like a lion. The latest football for a fiver offer had attracted a bumper crowd; Karl Robinson's men had expressed their determination to prove that last weekend's victory at MK Dons was no flash in the pan but the springboard for a determined promotion push; the opera singer was unavailable but the build-up otherwise readied us for another of those days to remember.

And this day will indeed be fondly remembered -but only by 1,254 sons and daughters of Shropshire, who hugged each other in delight as their favourites weathered, thanks to the excellence of goalkeeper Dean Henderson, a torrid 10-minute going over before recovering to put their hosts firmly in their place. A place which, in the wake of this chastening lesson, is now outside the top six - but, let's not forget, with two comforting games in hand. The second of those games is away to...er, Shrewsbury. So probably one game in hand.

The Addicks' opening salvo was resisted singlehandedly by Henderson. When Sullay Kaikai and Josh Magennis combined to set up a clear shooting chance for Jake Forster-Caskey, the midfielder's fierce low drive was saved at full length by the defiant keeper. While the visitors still struggled to find their feet, Kaikai found Jay Dasilva, whose accurate cross was headed firmly by Magennis but brilliantly blocked on the line by Henderson's outflung right leg. The rebound reached Joe Aribo but the on-fire keeper spectacularly tipped the in-form youngster's vicious blockbuster over the bar. We didn't know it then but Charlton's bolt had already been shot.

Organised by Jon Nolan, a copper-topped Scouse-Irish busybody, the Shrews composed themselves and exerted a grip they were never likely to relinquish. Henderson could, in fact, have knocked off early and not been missed. Charlton quickly unravelled and were exposed as a side without substance, a soft-centred collection of self-absorbed will-o' the-wisps with more wisp than will to them. Beaten to every second ball, pressed into panicky clearances, caught regularly in dawdling possession dangerously close to their goal, they somehow bumbled along until half-time, thanks mainly to Nolan's missed penalty. Bundled over by Ezri Konsa, the ginger dynamo's spotkick was bravely parried by Amos and his rebound header smacked against the bar.

Completely unruffled by Nolan's act of generosity, Town duly lowered the boom seven minutes into the second half. Wide man Alex Rodman had been torturing Chris Solly with a succession of weaving runs, the latest of which carried him inside the right back from the left flank to unleash a superbly curled shot off the far post and in behind Amos. The keeper was given no chance, which won't silence the whispers that "he could have done more." While on the subject of armchair snipers, those anonymous critics of Solly, the very heartbeat of Charlton for several seasons, are invited to "do one." This marvellous pro is struggling right now but gives nothing but his best. He is heavily in credit.

Midway through the half, the visitors took care of business with a second goal. The Addicks' six-yard cover parted almost biblically as Omar Beckles rose unchallenged to head Shaun Whalley's outswinging corner down past Amos.

The last word belongs to Robinson, who frankly admitted that "we weren't good enough. They were the better team. We got old-schooled today and I've told the players we need to drop our egos because we are a good team." He might have added that they need to toughen up, fight for the right to play and, in old-fashioned parlance, get stuck in. It ain't all about crooking your elbows and striking stylish poses on the ball. You can do that after scoring. As long as you do score, you can do it as often as you like.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Pearce, DaSilva (Ajose 71), Kashi, Marshall (Fosu 87), Aribo, Kaikai (Zyro 90), Forster-Caskey, Magennis. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Jackson, Bauer, Reeves. Booked: Kashi, Magennis, Forster-Caskey, Solly.

Shewsbury: Henderson, Godfrey, Sadler, Beckles, Whalley, Ogogo, Carlton Morris (John-Lewis 90), Bolton (Hendrie 10), Nolan, Nsiala, Rodman. Not used: McGillivray, Thomas, Bryn Morris, Eisa, Payne.

Referee: Christopher Sarginson. Att: 17,581 (1,254 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Magennis 24) Bradford City 1 (Robinson 80).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Still smarting from the calamitous surrender of five points from their two previous games, Charlton squared off with close rivals Bradford in a make-or-break clash for a place among the play-offs contenders. Even with a third of the season remaining, there's a distinct, psychological advantage to being among the top six teams.

By beating City, the Addicks would have leapfrogged the sixth-placed Bantams to lead them by a point with two useful games in hand. Throw in a superior goal difference and the prize for victory was huge. Simple arithmetic shows that defeat, on the other hand, would have represented a devastating body blow. So Charlton took the third option and, in painfully familiar circumstances, not to mention their patented 1-1 scoreline, marked time and continued to press their noses against the window to the holy grail.

Pegged back yet again by a late equaliser, this latest setback heaped more disappointment on Karl Robinson's men. Setting out with their usual elan, they were denied an early breakthrough when Colin Doyle brilliantly tipped Mark Marshall's bottom-corner bound shot against a post to safety. The keeper then kept out Sullay KaiKai's venomous volley with his legs before doing his resourceful best to prevent Josh Magennis from giving Charlton the lead midway through the first half.

The spadework was provided by Marshall, whose jinking run made space on the right to deliver a cleverly dinked cross aimed for Magennis. Climbing above two defenders, the back in-form striker generated just enough power in his downward header to squeeze the ball inside the left post, despite Doyle's frantic efforts to scrape it back in play. Referee Nicholas Kinseley, whose laissez-faire attitude to City's uncompromising physicality hardly endeared him to an openly mutinous Robinson, was ideally positioned to rule in Charlton's favour.

And this was where we came in. For having played the visitors off the park with a beguiling but all-too-brief blend of pace, power and skill, the Addicks began to falter as usual. While contributing little beyond the searing drive from Adam Chicksen which skimmed the bar shortly before the break, City retired with a toehold in a game which had threatened to run away from them. And as they improved, so their opponents' self-belief evaporated.

With only a single goal to protect, Charlton began the second half in frankly unconvincing quest of a second. Tariqe Fosu went close with a right-footed drive narrowly too high, then briefly troubled the Yorkshiremen with a corner which was awkwardly cleared at the near post.

But the pendulum had swung and it required a fine save from Ben Amos to keep out the volley with which Chicksen met Tony McMahon's inswinging corner from the right. Interval substitute Paul Taylor beat Amos on the rebound but Magennis, a tower of strength to his side in both penalty areas, cleared his effort off the goalline.

On 67 minutes, the Addicks survived a scare which suggested that sheer luck might, on this occasion, come to their rescue. Setpiece specialist McMahon stepped up to a free kick, awarded for Fosu's earnest attempt to decapitate Chicksen 20 yards out, and left Amos helpless as he sent it crashing against the bar.
Shortly after the escape, Fosu made a final effort to finish off the resurgent Bantams. A regular target, along with Kaikai, for City's cynical litany of fouls (Charlton were no angels themselves), he hauled himself up after being decked by McMahon to curl the free kick towards the far top corner. Backpedalling urgently, Doyle pawed the fast-dropping ball to safety, his vital save setting the stage for an increasingly inevitable equaliser.

Banished to the stands as the exchanges grew tetchier, Simon Grayson probably masterminded the 76th minute replacement of the embattled Chicksen by Tyrell Robinson from his new vantage point. If so, City's new boss was handsomely vindicated by the newcomer's first significant contribution. Stealing a yard on Chris Solly as he moved to meet Charlie Wyke's faintly deflected centre, Robinson firmly headed City's point-saver inside the right post. And there it was again - a delirious Jimmy Seed stand celebrating late salvation while the home tribunes looked on in sullen resentment. So is there a solution to the problem? Well, we could try kicking the other bloody way for a change. If it's broke, fix it!

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Bauer, DaSilva (Lennon 90), Kashi, Marshall (Zyro 84), Forster-Caskey, Kaikai (Ajose 87), Fosu, Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Jackson, Reeves, Aribo. Booked: Fosu, Solly, Forster-Caskey.

Bradford: Doyle, McGowan, Knight-Percival, Vincelot, Chicksen (Robinson 76), Dieng (Taylor 46), Warnock, Gillead, McMahon, Guy, Wyke. Not used: Raeder, Law, Poleon, McCartan, Lund. Booked: McGowan, Guy, McMahon.

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley. Att: 10,650 (830 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Kashi 63, Magennis 78) Oxford United 3 (Henry 76, Kane 88, Ledson 90).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

It's no surprise that Charlton are not among those clubs who refer to their ground -often on the thinnest of evidence - as a fortress. If they did stoop to such posturing, the building codes bureaucrats would split their sides laughing.

They don't go in for any of that "This is Anfield" or "Run for your Lives, you're at Millwall" intimidation at The Valley. It's a cuddly, cosy place where visiting teams are encouraged to think they're in with a chance. So as mildly shocked Oxford United made off gleefully with all three points on Saturday, they departed to the cheery Cockney strains of "Call round any old time, make yourself at home, put your feet on the mantelshelf, open the cupboard and help yourself." Or less lyrically, the door's unlocked so spit on the floor and use the last of the milk because our casa is your casa. Thanks for coming, we'll clean up after you.

Charlton fans know the sickening drill all too well. They've grown wearily used to scenes of wild rejoicing in the Jimmy Seed stand as the travelling fans celebrate late equalisers or winners scored conveniently in front of them thanks to Charlton's set-in-stone, presumably pre-arranged habit of attacking the covered end in the second half. It might be time to switch that around because it's no secret that the worst disasters occur at the away end. When you're in a rut, it makes sense to step out of it.

This latest collapse almost defies description but we'll give it a shot. With two minutes of normal time remaining, the Addicks were still pouring forward in undisciplined search of a clinching goal to make it 3-1. Caught on the break as John Mousinho got behind them on the left, they were wrongfooted by the Oxford skipper's precise cutback and helpless to prevent United debutant Todd Kane from ramming a second equaliser past Ben Amos.

The announcement of five added minutes brought a roar of local anticipation but instead served as a clarion call for the buoyant visitors. A disorderly rabble by now, Charlton were rabbits mesmerised by headlights as Isaac Buckley-Ricketts eluded Jay DaSilva on the right and set up Ryan Ledson to crash home an increasingly inevitable winner inside the right hand post. In retrospect, the low shot directed by Buckley-Ricketts against the woodwork shortly before Kane scored, seems less like a lucky escape than an unheeded warning.

Nothing in an orderly, routine first half hinted at the mayhem in store. Charlton began brightly and had marginally the better of things, with Tarique Fosu's rasper stinging Simon Eastwood's hands and Mark Marshall directing a free header wastefully wide. For the visitors, Jon Obika, a pre-kick-off replacement for Wes Thomas, turned brilliantly to smash a looping volley harmlessly off the right-hand post. The near thing was Obika's last, meaningful contribution as he limped off later to make way for Malachi Napa. To be fair, Oxford coped manfully with the disruption.

A persistent, skilful thorn in United's side, Josh Magennis opened the second period by moving on to Fosu's pass and shooting ferociously on the run. Eastwood saved smartly, as did Amos from Napa's accurate low drive. But just past the hour mark, Karl Robinson's newly gung-ho side broke through. Fosu made the initial breach, through which Magennis and Ahmed Kashi poured. Magennis' effort was blocked but Kashi picked up the pieces, moved away from the goalmouth carnage and shot home off Eastwood's right hand.

The breakthrough brought with it the usual nervousness both on and off the field. Chronically uncertain when protecting a lead, the Addicks faltered and it was less than surprising when substitute James Henry fastened on to Napa's pass before, with cool detachment, driving precisely into the lower left corner.
It was then Oxford's turn to be rudely jolted when their hosts reclaimed the lead two minutes later. Caught dawdling near the left byline, Kane was neatly pickpocketed by Dasilva, who closed in and picked out Magennis' shrewdly timed charge into the six-yard area. From two yards, the Northern Irishman's sixth goal of the season was mere formality.

Making sense of this debacle is down to Robinson, who levelled charges of selfishness at his side and confessed he had drawn no positives from the miserable experience "We beat ourselves through our lack of discipline", he declared, "it became I want to score rather than we need to score."

The manager might need to justify the puzzling benching of in-form Joe Aribo and his reluctance to start an apparently fit Patrick Bauer at centre back. Ezri Konsa is a stylish but weak link in that position though it was Harry Lennon, the current "fans" scapegoat, who came in for the lion's share of badmouthing. While less than outstanding, Lennon won his fair share in the air and delivered a succession of raking passes on which Magennis fed. He was part of Charlton's total collapse, but far from the sole cause of it. If heads are to roll his might deserve to be spared. Meanwhile, Bauer must play at Doncaster. So must Aribo.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Lennon, Dasilva, Kashi, Marshall (Zyro 70), Forster-Caskey, Mavididi (Kaikai 70), Fosu (Aribo 87), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Jackson, Bauer, Reeves. Booked: Lennon.

Oxford: Eastwood, Martin, Smith-Brown, Rothwell (Ricardinho 70), Ruffels, Ledson, Kane, Mowatt (Henry 70), Mousinho, Obika (Napa 34), Buckley-Ricketts. Not used: Shearer, Dickie, Carroll.

Referee: Keith Stroud. Att: 11,747 (1,381 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Aribo 31, Kory Roberts 73 o.g, Mavididi 89) Walsall 1 (Oztumer 41).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Very few of a chilled crowd slightly north of 10,000 who braved the miserable elements to attend this unpromising fixture expected a footballing classic. No offence intended to either club but an encounter between Charlton and Walsall is rarely one to race the pulse or curdle the blood.

As so it turned out again on Saturday. This keenly disputed duel fell short of classical, with its catalogue of errors, missed chances and pratfalls. What it did provide though was a riproaring, roistering, old-fashioned thriller, crammed with near things and superb goals; a cracker, in other words, disputed by hell-for-leather sides without an ounce of malice between them. Pity there had to be a loser but that's how it goes. Walsall wouldn't want our crocodile tears.

The opening half hour, to be honest, didn't amount to much and the first mutterings of discontent were growing in volume by the time Joe Aribo adroitly fired the home side into the lead. For the Addicks, Josh Magennis had forced Liam Roberts into a smart, sprawling save, while Ahmed Kashi's fine diving clearance and follow-up block on George Dobson dealt with Walsall's best effort. Charlton's painstaking, slow-tempo progress from their own half was beginning to grate when the increasingly indispensable Aribo calmed a potentially mutinous Valley just past the half hour.

Trying his luck on the left flank, Mark Marshall stole a yard on marker Adam Chambers to make space for a soaring cross which eluded Magennis at the far post but was cushioned on the volley inside the right-hand post by Aribo. The addition of goals -this was his third of the season - completes the rapidly improving midfielder's cv and represents another triumph for the assembly line supervised by Steve Avery. Aribo was one of four academy graduates in the starting line-up on Saturday, with another four, among them late substitute Karlan Ahearne-Grant, warming the bench. If Charlton are imploding, as we're warned they are, they' ll be leaving a young, healthy footprint behind them.

Aribo's fine strike not only galvanised the Addicks but persuaded the Saddlers to throw off their defensive caution. Suddenly the joint was jumping.

Fine footwork by the on-fire Aribo set up Stephy Mavididi's brutal 25 -yard drive which all but splintered the crossbar but it was anything but one-way traffic, not while crafty, sawn-off playmaker Erhun Oztumer cleverly pulled the strings for the Blackcountrymen. His razor-sharp one-two with Tyler Roberts prised Charlton open but was let down by a sliced finish. Hard to discourage, the Greenwich-born former Addicks scholar equalised shortly before the break.

While struggling to contain the menace of 18 year-old WBA loanee Tyler Roberts, Chris Solly was sidetracked as left back Liam Leahy picked up Roberts' pass and dropped a precise cross on the penalty spot. Having timed his run perfectly, Oztumer had no need to jump as he neatly steered a header into the bottom right corner.

Two minutes into the second half, the visitors spurned a glittering opportunity to seize the initiative. After dispossessing a floundering Harry Lennon near the right touchline, Joe Edwards cut in and set up Amadou Bakayoko to finish from point-blank range. Appearing from seemingly nowhere, Ezri Konsa managed to block the certainty, with Bakayoko hammering the rebound against the bar. Despite remaining defiant, it was mainly downhill for the Saddlers following the glaring miss. Konsa, by the way, continues to work out his notice with professional commitment.

The final contribution of Ben Reeves, before he gave way to the rehabilitated Tarique Fosu, was a glorious through ball which sent Magennis through to shoot disappointingly against the advancing Liam Roberts. The arrival of an often unplayable Fosu, who joined Mavididi and consistently excellent Jay Dasilva in tormenting the Midlanders with their bewildering repertoire of adhesive touches, blistering pace and mesmerising close control, was the beginning of the end for the bewitched visitors. But a second goal was urgently required and Charlton left it uncomfortably late to find one.

Among the blizzard of chances they created, Fosu stung Liam Roberts' palms with a near post rasper before Mavididi overpowered Korey Roberts on the left byline but unwisely chose to shoot straight at the keeper from an impossible angle, with Aribo an imploring option to his right. With desperation growing, Magennis flicked Marshall's corner against a post before Walsall somehow survived a frantic goalmouth scramble, during which Korey Roberts cleared off the line from Aribo and Leahy repeated the feat to foil Lennon. The intense pressure eventually told on stubborn Walsall with nineteen minutes remaining.

Sent haring through by Dasilva's incisive pass, Mavididi kept his nose in front of Korey Roberts and was preparing to shoot on the run when the panicky defender's lunged to intervene but sent the ball rolling into his own goal.

There was still time for Marshall to spoon Fosu's precise cutback high over the bar before Mavididi removed the tension from five added minutes by soloing through again to seal the issue at close range. Attack, attack, attack, it's a novel way to defend but Karl Robinson's skill-saturated Charlton side should try it more often. Saves on chewed fingernails and shredded nerves.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Lennon, Dasilva, Kashi, Marshall (Ahearne-Grant 87), Aribo, Reeves (Fosu 52), Mavididi (Jackson 90), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Forster-Caskey, Hanlan, Dijksteel.

Walsall: Liam Roberts, Kinsella, Korey Roberts, Guthrie, Leahy, Chambers, Edwards, Dobson, Oztumer, Bakayoko, Tyler Roberts. Not used: Gillespie, Devlin, Jackson, Flanagan, Kouhyar, Shorrock, Candlin.

Referee: Scott Oldham. Att: 10,140 (295 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Ahearne-Grant 7) Oxford United 1 (Thomas 54).

(Oxford won penalty shoot-out 3-0).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

A frustrated Karl Robinson had two important statistics at hand to explain Charlton's exit from the Checkatrade Trophy, in arctic weather tolerable by human beings but ominous for the welfare of brass monkeys.

"We had over 60% of possession and 23 shots to one from them. You're writing the same article every week. Charlton were the better team but didn't take their chances", the beleaguered manager complained.

There's more than a grain of truth in Robinson's lament but it hardly tells the full story. Charlton were superior in the first half on Tuesday evening, withdrew at half-time in front but re-emerged following the break a totally different side. As did the outplayed visitors who, no doubt, drew encouragement from knowing that their hosts rarely score more than once and find it impossible to seal the issue with a second goal. The word is out on Charlton. They give suckers an even break. So it's worth hanging in there against them.

This 3rd round tie opened along familiar lines. The Addicks tore from the traps and were spectacularly fired ahead after just seven minutes by Karlan Ahearne-Grant. Enthusiastically chasing down Ricardhino's wayward pass before it crossed the left touchline for a throw-in, he retraced his steps, cruised inside Canice Carroll, then gave Scott Shearer no chance with an unstoppable right-footed drive into the far corner. Ahearne-Grant's premature withdrawal, hopefully for precautionary reasons just past the half hour, summed up the wretched luck of both this mercurial player and his injury-haunted manager.

Comfortably on top, Charlton pottered about in familiar, unconvincing pursuit of a second, reassuring goal. Ahmed Kashi stung Shearer's hand from 30 yards but it was the holding midfielder whose carelessness in possession gave United their first sliver of hope. Pouncing on Kashi's error, Ryan Ledson broke through but was foiled by Ezri Konsa's brilliant saving tackle. The visitors were sporadically dangerous, with Wes Thomas' cross from the left eluding everyone on its way across the six-yard line. Dillon Phillips' low save from Jack Payne, meanwhile, confounded Robinson's assertion that the visitors had managed but a single shot. Their shooting accuracy, in fact, was to serve them well in decisive circumstances later on.

Two apparently different sides resumed after the interval and within nine minutes Oxford were level. Ledson's optimistic punt forward was disputed by Anfernee Dijksteel and a stumbling Thomas, who shook off the youngster before prodding an opportunistic equaliser past Phillips. As the momentum shifted, Jon Obika's shot was smartly saved by Phillips, with Johnnie Jackson hacking Malachi Napa's point blank follow-up off the goalline.

The dubious prize of a place in the 4th round of this unloved competition was now up for grabs, with Charlton huffing and Oxford puffing in quest of a winner. Stephy Mavididi came closest to sparing us Charlton's subsequent humiliation but his low effort squeezed inches wide.

By then, it had become inevitable that this tie would be resolved by penalties and equally predictable that the Addicks would finish on the short end. In the process, they added three more shots to Robinson's figure of 23, each of them a hapless nail in their Checkatrade coffin. Thanks to the new Abba system, three misses were all that were needed before the shambles was over. For  small mercies, may the Checkatrade Trophy make us truly grateful.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Konsa, Dasilva, Kashi (Lapslie 60), Marshall, Aribo, Reeves, Jackson, Ahearne-Grant (Hackett-Fairchild 34), Magennis (Mavididi 64). Not used: Amos, Holmes, Lennon, Mascoll.

Oxford: Shearer, Williamson, Martin, Ledson, Thomas (Mehmeti 75), Payne, Obika, Ricardhinho (Tiendalli 46), Mowatt, Carroll, Van Kessel (Napa 57). Not used: Stevens, Henry, Fernandez, Raglan. Booked: Carroll.

Referee: Andy Haines. Att 1,146 (122 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Aribo 83) Gillingham 2 (Parker 11, Eaves 32).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Brash, brawny and brave, Gillingham delighted over 1,400 raucous followers by winning at The Valley for the first time in their unremarkable history.  Rank outsiders at 7-2 before they arrived, they made nonsense of the odds and proved that, in football, if you want it badly enough, the impossible becomes merely improbable. It's an axiom well known to the generations of Charlton fans who have suffered at Millwall's hands despite, on many occasions, having the better team. For Millwall, recently read upstarts Gillingham, who completed a league double with this bitterly earned victory.

Clearly more motivated than their sleepwalking hosts, the Kent side tore into them during the early going, moved 2-0 in front just past the half hour, then defended as though their very lives depended on it as the opening storm inevitably abated. The Addicks, on the other hand, put in their familiar Jekyll and Hyde performance. Mr. Hyde spread irreponsible chaos during a disastrous first half; Dr. Jekyll emerged after the break and tried desperately but vainly to repair the destruction wreaked by his alter ego.

Those opening 45 minutes rivalled the first half horror show at Southend on Boxing Day in their sheer incompetence. Showing an embarrassing lack of New Year resolution, Charlton resembled a hastily cobbled-together Sunday park side. Centre backs Naby Sarr and Harry Lennon seemed never to have met before, with Sarr, in particular, currently miscast as a central defender. Unreliable in the air despite his impressive physique, Sarr's inability to control Gillingham's find-of-the-season Tom Eaves became painful to watch. At Sarr's side, Lennon lurched from one positional crisis to the next as Eaves and his burly sidekick Josh Parker backed into them and did as they liked.

Still an unknown quantity, Eaves, whose goal beat Charlton at Gillingham in September, was a muscular, surprisingly mobile handful. He began badly by shooting straight at Ben Amos after playmaker Lee Martin's superbly lofted delivery left him with only the goalkeeper to beat but didn't allow the miss to dent his confidence. With just eleven minutes played, he outmuscled Sarr under an innocuous high ball, shook off the floundering defender on the turn and sprinted clear. His hard low ball across the six-yard line left Parker with the simple task of tapping home at the far post.

The first signs of muttered mutiny swelled into a resentful rumpus when the irreverent visitors doubled their advantage. Caught on the break while right back Luke O'Neill turned defence into attack with an aggressive burst into yawning space vacated by Jay Dasilva, the Addicks were ball watching onlookers as Eaves, at full stretch, studded the cross past Amos. Eaves' suspiciously offside position hardly excused either Lennon's fatal hesitation or a corporate failure to close ranks against danger.

An awkward effort, screwed wide by Ben Reeves from Ricky Holmes' right wing cross, was Charlton's only contribution to a nightmare first half. Their build-up was stodgy with three ponderous passes used when only two were necessary; movement was leaden, inspiration an absentee, recovery unlikely. The home side were shapeless putty in Gillingham's hands until the half-time replacements, of disappointing Reeves by eager beaver Joe Aribo and the injured Jake Forster-Caskey by physical threat Leon Best, changed the dynamic. The second half began encouragingly but almost immediately hit a roadblock.

It was ironic and typical of Karl Robinson's luck that Best, after a briefly promising eight-minute cameo, succumbed again to injury and was substituted by Karlan Ahearne-Grant - not that the latter, it should be said, let him down.

Aribo laid claim, meanwhile, to a starting role with an energetic, productive display, which introduced urgency and increased tempo. His clever one-two with Best set up his fellow substitute to test Tomas Holy's reflexes, an effort which launched a blizzard of chances during a non-stop siege of Holy's goal.

Holmes' volleyed cross was met by Josh Magennis, whose header scraped the bar; Ahearne-Grant skinned Bradley Garmston before whipping over a centre on the run, to which Mark Marshall failed by inches to apply a decisive touch; Garmston typified his side's courage by beating Magennis to Holmes' teasing delivery and crashing painfully against a post as he cleared it to safety; Ezri Konsa's close range shot from Marshall's cutback was brilliantly blocked by Holy, who again distinguished himself by charging down Magennis' point blank header, which firmly met Marshall's cross.

The battling visitors were out on their feet by the time Aribo reduced the arrears with seven minutes left. His subtle, glancing header re-directed Holmes' inswinging corner from the left neatly inside the far post. Almost immediately, the scorer came agonisingly close to equalising as he swivelled on a loose ball created by Magennis' goalmouth challenge but could only toe wide. Charlton's bolt was shot and six comfortably negotiated added minutes later, the field -and three priceless points - belonged to Gillingham and their crowing camp followers. It's become a familiar sight, not to mention a recurring theme at The Valley, where quiet resignation and deepening despair have become accepted as normal. And where disappointment goes with the territory.

Charlton: Amos, Konsa, Sarr, Lennon, Dasilva, Kashi, Holmes, Forster-Caskey (Aribo 46), Reeves (Best 46, Ahearne-Grant 53)), Marshall, Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Jackson, Bauer, Dijksteel. Booked: Kashi, Forster-Caskey, Lennon.

Gillingham: Holy, O'Neill, Ehmer, Zakuani, Garmston (Ogilvie 73), Hessenthaler, Clarke, Martin (Oldaker 75), Byrne, Clare, Parker (Wilkinson 73). Not used: Nelson, Lacey, Cundle, Nash. Booked: O'Neill, Parker, Clare.

Referee: Oliver Langford. Att: 11,979 (1,424 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Aribo 15) Blackpool 1 (Gnanduillet 89).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

The number of vital points irresponsibly squandered by Charlton in the dying throes of eminently winnable games swelled by two as powderpuff Blackpool  bundled home an 89th minute equaliser. Armand Gnanduillet's goal came as no surprise to home fans accustomed to watching their heroes unconvincingly  defend an early lead until confronted by the finishing line, when panic sets in.

The Seasiders had clung to forlorn hope as their hosts predictably failed to add to Joe Aribo's excellent solo effort - his first serious goal for the club - and left themselves vulnerable to late disaster. Sure enough, Anfernee Dijksteel's foul on Gnanduillet conceded a free kick which was swung in from the left by Jimmy Ryan; Naby Sarr's clearing header was weak and Gnanduillet nodded in off teammate Clark Robertson.

Had the Addicks gone the distance, Karl Robinson would have been entitled to quiet pride in his injury-ravaged line-up which included only two survivors (Ben Amos and Jay Dasilva) of the side which faced Bristol Rovers on opening day. A frankly horrendous casualty list has torn the heart and soul from his squad and that these patched-up, papered-over remnants went so close to winning would usually earn respect. But close is no cigar and football is an unforgiving and unsentimental business. Near things don't count. Only winning matters.

A frustrated Robinson won't be consoled by knowing that if his side had converted even one of several gilt-edged first half chances, Gnanduillet's goal would have been no more than consolation for Blackpool. That's a well-worn theme. Aribo's marvellous opener should have been enough anyway.

Accepting Sarr's incisive pass on the turn, the hardworking midfielder took on the heart of the visitors' rearguard, picking off three defensive statues during a weaving solo run before shooting across keeper Ben Williams into the far bottom corner from 12 yards.

The litany of missed chances began with the awkwardly volleyed mess made by Josh Magennis of converting Mark Marshall's pinpoint cross. With only Williams to beat, the burly forward's shot cleared the bar on one bounce.

A persistent threat down Charlton's left flank, Dasilva then delivered a textbook-perfect centre, met solidly by Leon Best's diving header which seemed netbound until Williams, launching himself low to his right, saved brilliantly. Best could be considered unlucky on that occasion. He had no such excuse when sweeping a first time shot well wide after Magennis's turn of speed and clever pull-back from the left set him up near the penalty spot. Despite his faulty finishing, Best posed problems for the visitors before joining the walking wounded just past the hour with what might be a loan-ending injury.

Coping comfortably with Blackpool's aenemic threat up front, meanwhile, the Addicks were briefly ruffled when Gnanduillet's persistence troubled Exri Konsa and forced Ben Amos to scramble his close range effort to safety off a post. The Frenchman also shot narrowly wide to close the first half.

That elusive second goal continued to haunt Charlton after the break. Marshall fired off target after Magennis stole possession off Robertson. There was almost a dream league debut for George Lapslie, who exchanged sharp passes with Aribo, shot on the run but was alertly blocked by Andy Taylor. But the issue remained unsettled and the Seasiders sensed an unlikely chance. Dijksteel's disputed foul exposed Charlton's chronic vulnerability to free kicks, with 6'5" Sarr's ballooned header betraying his surprising unreliability in the air and Gnanduillet making the most of the gift.  Both Sarr and Konsa boast enviable skill on the ball; both need reminding, however, that centre backs, even deputies, have no business being eccentric or entertaining. Their chief function is to protect their goal at all costs and it's no sin to clear your lines when the situation calls for matter over mind. It might have paid off on several occasions during this dog's breakfast of a season -doing whatever it takes to climb out of this wretched division in other words.

Charlton: Amos, Dijksteel, Konsa, Sarr, Dasilva, Jackson, Marshall (Kashi 83), Reeves (Lapslie 74), Aribo, Best (Ahearne-Grant 62), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Dodoo, Lennon, Hackett-Fairchild.

Blackpool: Williams, Mellor, Robertson, Tilt, Taylor (Quigley 81), D'Almeida, Ryan, Philliskirk (Solomon-Otabor 62), Daniel, Gnanduillet, Cooke (Longstaffe 62). Not used: Allsop, Anderton, Delfouneso, Spearing.

Referee: John Busby

Att: 10,172 (209 visiting).

This report is dedicated to John Bates, a good friend whose funeral and typically lively wake at Downham Tavern we attended last Wednesday. John was a salty, world weary Charlton fan who, despite the disappointments that came with the territory, never denied his allegiance. He came off the estate, where he was widely known and respected and will be impossible to forget. Goodbye, John, the pleasure was always ours. Kevin and Hazel