Charlton 5 (Taylor 11, 58, 85), Marshall 82, Ajose 90) Mansfield Town 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Those hardy few who "turned their collars to the cold and damp" and waded over to The Valley on Tuesday evening were warmed by a rare experience. They were soggy witnesses as Charlton ruthlessly put lower league Mansfield Town in their place in this eventful replay to secure their place in the second round at home to Doncaster on December 1st.

While acknowledging the harshness of the scoreline on the spirited visitors, it's a bit of a stretch to blame a 5-0 drubbing on referee Kevin Johnson. But that's where Town boss David Flitcroft, still incandescent at Charlton's "blatantly offside goal" in the first tie, dumped the responsibility. There you go, though, all the crucial calls go in favour of the big teams. It's the same the whole world over... it's the rich wot gets the pleasure.

To be fair, there was considerable controversy surrounding the Addicks' third goal and wishy-washy Johnson hardly emerged with credit from his part in creating it. A free kick which he at first appeared to award in the visitors' favour was arbitrarily ruled the other way. As confusion reigned and with several Stags caught upfield, the quickly taken setpiece was swept crossfield to Toby Stevenson on the left touchline. Darting through, the youngster's low cross was turned in by Mark Marshall and, at 3-0, the tie was resolved. With only eight minutes left, of course, it was already firmly under local control because by the time wholehearted substitute Marshall sealed the issue, Mansfield had twice fallen victims to the predatory instincts of Lyle Taylor. Rested from the Field Mill game, Taylor reacted sharply to the low ball in from Nicky Ajose, following a smart exchange with Tarique Fosu, to open the scoring from six yards after 11 minutes. At a similar stage of the second half, Billy Clarke and Stevenson combined to send Ajose to the left byline, from which his half-cleared centre was sidefooted firmly past Bobby Olejnik by the cool striker.

For impressive Town, who stuck faithfully to their footballing principles in adversity, the most clearcut chances fell to CJ Hamilton, who had added to his spectacular goal in the first leg with an equally eye-catching matchwinner against Port Vale last Saturday. Sent through the middle to confront Dillon Phillips by Ryan Sweeney's precise pass, Hamilton was tracked by Patrick Bauer, whose patient pursuit and perfectly judged recovery tackle, at the expense of a corner, provided a masterclass in defending. Solid and sensible, the big centre back's return from injury is a massive boost for Lee Bowyer's depleted squad.

The enforced 22nd minute replacement of Jacob Mellis by Hayden White, meanwhile, proved to be a blessing in disguise for the visitors. White was a constant menace along the right touchline, his pace and trickery an education for the inexperienced Stevenson, who responded admirably. Shortly after his introduction, White steamed past Stevenson before crossing superbly on the run. Sliding in at the far post, Hamilton looked certain to equalise but could only divert the ball against the foot of the woodwork. His two chances, along with the fine save made by Phillips from Danny Rose's curler in the earlier going, were the best Mansfield had to offer.

After Marshall lowered the boom, the Stags were finally at bay. First Taylor completed his hat-trick with an outrageously impudent chip from inside the penalty area which teased the frantically backpedalling Olejnik on its way over his head into the net. Then Ajose claimed a last minute reward for his excellent contribution by beating Olejnik to George Lapslie's ball over the top, rounding the beleaguered keeper and ignoring a defender on the goalline to finish clinically. The 5-0 scoreline might have "flattered" the Addicks (or "flattened" them, as optimistically misprinted on the visitors' official website) but they were comfortable enough winners.

Apart from a place in the second round, there were other positives to warm Bowyer's cockles. In Lapslie, Charlton have unearthed a midfield gem whose workrate and will-to-win are insatiable; Billy Clarke's combative return to the colours picks up the slack created by the loss of Josh Cullen and, more temporarily, Ben Reeves; Bauer's reassuring presence rubbed off on big Naby Sarr, who didn't put a foot wrong and, equally to the point, has improved his heading.

Charlton might well have benefitted long term from this unwanted replay, Nothing beats winning; nothing depresses like losing. Sometimes you have to draw a cup-tie to achieve the first and avoid the second. It's been going on for 156 years and it's known as the magic of the Cup. You just gotta love it!

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer (Sarpong-Wiredu 61), Sarr, Stevenson, Clarke (Morgan 74), Pratley (Marshall 66), Lapslie, Fosu, Ajose, Taylor. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Grant, Hackett-Fairchild. Booked: Taylor.

Referee: Kevin Johnson. Att: 1,910 (291 visiting)

Charlton 1 (Taylor 24,pen) Oxford United 1 (Whyte 70).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Like champagne left open from the night before, Charlton were haggard shadows of the effervescent side which left high-flying Barnsley with a thumping hangover last Saturday. The euphoria had vanished, the bubbles had disappeared, they were a flat, jaded version of the weekend playboys who delivered a season's-best performance just three days previously.

Chief beneficiaries of the post-party slump were Oxford United, brought to The Valley by Karl Robinson possibly more in hope than expectation. The Mersey Motormouth's line-up featured Ricky Holmes, routinely booed by a bovine minority, alongside a snarling, battling group of hardnosed spoilers who prudently passed five bookings from player to player, indulged in tutored gamesmanship, scored a truly superb goal and had every reason to savour the point they took home with them. Not exactly bookish Oxford dons, this little lot.

Fitful and frazzled, meanwhile, the Addicks trudged through treacle, led until the 70th minute but succumbed yet again to a chronic inability to protect the lead to a winning conclusion. Grinding out a result in other words, an art form which cuts little ice in these philistinic parts.

While the beleaguered visitors understandably celebrated a virtual victory, Lee Bowyer's men trudged off like a beaten team. But a point is, after all, a point which might loom large when the final accounting is completed. It's better than nothing, which was their discouraging return from a disastrous collapse, in  similar circumstances, against Coventry recently. When substitute Gavin Whyte spectacularly equalised for Oxford, it seemed reasonable to expect Robinson's Dark Blues to emulate Mark Robins' Sky Blues in recovering from an interval penalty deficit to win 2-1. Charlton had just enough about them, however, to re-group and hang on to a scrappy point. Local hearts were in their mouths, admittedly, as Cameron Brannagan's deflected rocket seared into Jed Steer's grateful hands and again in the final minute when James Henry blasted an acceptable chance narrowly off target.

Charlton's difficult evening was not, it's important to point out, for want of trying. They toiled diligently enough, throwing willing bodies in front of goalbound shots, as Ben Reeves did to foil Brannagan in the first half and Chris Solly heroically reprised to deny Whyte a second goal near the end. But toil it doggedly was up to and after Lyle Taylor gave them a welcome lead from the penalty spot.

It was Taylor whose searching pass found Reeves in promising space near the right byline where he was confronted by Josh Ruffels, sensibly blocking his expected move infield on to his favoured left foot but confounded as Reeves skilfully squeezed through the gap provided on the opposite side. Sensing immediate danger, Simon Eastwood charged from his goal, proved no match for Reeves' deft touch past him and responded by bringing the elusive midfielder crashing down to earth. Referee Dean Whitestone was ideally placed to rule the offence well inside the area, whereupon Robinson's kneejerk bellyaching began an orchestrated effort to distract Taylor from his 12-yard task. A committee of yellow shirts besieged Whitestone, while another posse pursued Taylor, burring in his ear while following him to the spot as he prepared to take the penalty. When order was belatedly restored, the fetchingly pink striker put a sock in their mouths by blasting an unstoppable drive past the blameless Eastwood.

As usual, a second goal became crucial to the Addicks and Joe Aribo should have almost instantly provided it. The air kick he applied to Taylor's cute cutback was as embarrassing as it was to prove costly. In reply, a typical turn of pace carried Holmes into shooting range but his clever shot curled wide of the right post. A precarious single-goal lead was the home team's consolation at the break.

Soon after resumption, an otherwise subdued Karlan Grant should have doubled the advantage but his heavy touch on Anfernee Dijksteel's devastating through pass forced him into a straining shot, with which Eastwood dealt capably. It was Charlton's last chance to seal the issue and it came as no surprise that United levelled with a quite special goal 20 minutes before the end.

While Holmes and Josh Cullen collided painfully in the centre circle, referee Whitestone correctly allowed play to continue through Brannagan who picked up the loose ball, drove forward and picked out Whyte on the right of the Addicks' penalty area. Gliding into space, the young Northern Irishman uncorked a venomous drive which was still rising as it rippled the net behind a hopelessly beaten Steer. A "choir invisible" before Whyte's brilliant intervention, the mute away end was galvanised into "you're not singing any more" defiance.

Not so much two points lost as one unconvincingly earned must be Bowyer's conclusion as he continues to struggle with enforced adjustments to his preferred line-up. So impressive against Barnsley, Krystian Bielik was considered unready to face Oxford, with Darren Pratley an often shaky replacement who rode the line in many untidy clashes, which this referee tolerated but which might incur official displeasure elsewhere. Saturday's trip to Rochdale must see Bielik's reinstatement. We go again as football's latest cliche has it.

Charlton: Steer, Dijksteel, Pearce, Pratley, Solly, Cullen, Reeves (Ward 75), Aribo, Fosu (Bielik 88), Grant,  Taylor. Not used: Phillips, Marshall, Sarr, Ajose, Lapslie. Booked: Fosu.

Referee: Dean Whitestone. Att: 9,984 (538 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Sarr 80) Brighton 1 (Gross 47).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Stepping up in class as the new season looms large, spirited Charlton went toe-to-toe with Premier League visitors Brighton and emerged with an honourable draw as reward for their unstinting effort. Clearly the satisfying result, as much as their energetic performance, mattered greatly to Lee Bowyer's men.

A discouraging 1-0 loss seemed on the cards until, with ten minutes remaining, huge centre back Naby Sarr decided to take matters into his own hands. A ball-playing defender very much in the modern mould, Sarr controlled a clearance inside his own half before setting out for Albion's distant goal with mayhem in mind. Improvised one-twos with Nicky Ajose and Simon Dawkins carried him on like an impetuous Light Brigade cavalryman at Balaclava. As the whites of Hugo Keto's eyes came into sight, the run of the ball favoured the by-now irresistible Sarr in placing a precise, sidefooted shot inside the keeper's right hand post. Some goal it was too, a singular effort unlikely to be bettered during the season proper but one Bowyer will hope to see duplicated more than once by an unpredictable player who answers a different drum.

Quite apart from Sarr's unorthodoxy, there was plenty to encourage the manager in a feisty clash with visitors whose ascension to the Premier League coincided with Charlton's fall from grace. As recently as the 2015-16 campaign, the Seagulls and Addicks were squaring off in the Championship, with the former's 3-2 victory at the Amex Stadium on December 5th 2015 propelling them to the top of the table. Meanwhile, of course, Charlton were heading in a disastrously different direction.

In charge of Brighton back then was Chris Hughton, still bringing his calm influence to bear at The Valley on Tuesday evening. Matching "wits" with him less than three years ago was one Karel Fraeye, the latest in a pathetic parade of easy-come, soon-to-be-gone losers who ensured Charlton's steady decline. In Hughton, Albion had -and still have- rock-solid leadership which they ranged behind in thinner times. Fraeye was gone just a month after the December 2015 defeat, as the bodies continued to pile up. Don't hold your breath until Bowyer is confirmed in the job. After all, this sorry saga began with the treacherous backstabbing of another Valley legend.

Further evidence of the contrasting fortunes of these fine clubs was provided by ex-Addick Dale Stephens, whose effortless range of passing now earns him a Premiership crust on the South Coast. He wasted little time in showcasing his ability with a gorgeous, defence-splitting delivery which Pascal Gross squandered by shooting against the advancing legs of Dillon Phillips. Prolific scorer Glenn Murray was even more wasteful when firing inexplicably wide from point-blank range after being set up by Lewis Dunk's pass and Gross' clever flick. At the other end, David Button was untroubled by the rising effort driven over the bar by promising Albie Morgan.

Bowyer has reason to be pleased with the tireless contributions of his interval substitutions. But before they were heard from, Charlton fell behind. James Tilley's right wing cross was headed back across Phillips by Murray and seemed bound for the opposite corner until the keeper's straining fingertips kept it out. Unhindered by the right post, Gross was left with a simple tap-in.

Down but clearly far from out, the Addicks responded with youthful irreverence. Tenacious left full back Jamie Mascoll was an aggressive fireball, whose uninhibited tackling caused Hughton, a similarly committed left back during his distinguished playing career, to wince on more than one occasion. Equally committed George Lapslie popped up on both flanks to put himself about, as a shaken Arrun Connelly would confirm, pausing briefly to apologise before hustling back for the free kick. Midfield bite at Charlton - remind you of anyone?

Charlton were beginning to run out of time when Keto withstood a rat-a-tat three-shot salvo from Josh Magennis, saving each of them with commendable defiance, which Phillips matched with two fine saves from close range efforts from Solly March and Connolly. Then Sarr stepped up to defy logic, destroy tactics and deliver a draw which mattered. Really mattered.

Charlton: Phillips, Marshall (Yao 46), Ward, Sarr, Page (Mascoll 46), Forster-Caskey (Maloney 46), Pratley (Ince 46), Dawkins, Morgan (Lapslie 46), Ajose, Magennis.

Referee: Gavin Ward.

Att: 2256 (458 visiting).

Shrewsbury Town 1 (Carlton Morris 58) Charlton 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from Montgomery Waters' greenhouse.

Well, it's over for another few months. Bloody good job too, many of us felt as Charlton's chaotic 2017-18 season - disjointed, disappointing, depressing, take your pick - was pepper-sprayed into an ugly conclusion on Sunday. Few of their supporters, certainly none of the 1,568 tetchy loyalists who gathered here for the last rites, will regret its passing. It ended in two feeble whimpers and no audible bang as Shrewsbury easily won both legs of this play-off semi-final 1-0 to book their place at Wembley later this month.

As the post-mortems begin, the main item on most agendas will be the immediate fate of caretaker boss Lee Bowyer. And the conclusion will be, it's to be hoped, that little blame for Charlton's burn-out is his to shoulder. He inherited a team in freefall, with the grisly 0-1 debacle at Blackpool as recently as March 13th, and a miserable 0-0 home draw against Fleetwood four days later, rival nadirs which persuaded Karl Robinson to jump ship before he was pushed overboard. The Mersey Mouth duly sidled off to Oxford, where he switched his affections with all the ersatz sincerity of the smooth philanderer. Wherever he lays his hat, that's Karl's home.

Buckling down immediately, Bowyer restored equilibrium with three consecutive victories, boosted by a surprising 9-1 goal difference, over all-comers. Results inevitably flattened out but their titanic win over Blackburn propelled the Addicks into the play-offs, an achievement regarded by most fans as nothing short of miraculous given the unholy mess the caretaker faced when he took over. His managerial future now lies in the hands of Roland Duchatelet, a Belgian hologram whose word is as scattergunned as it is final. Bowyer would be unwise to move his belongings in yet.

This failure in Shropshire, meanwhile, followed almost regimental lines of predictability and order. The Addicks enjoyed (or, more probably, were allowed) a deceptive 54%-46% advantage in possession, contributing their usual neat approach play but rarely threatening to break through to where it mattered. They buzzed impressively up to the home penalty area where they encountered the rugged Salopians, who closed ranks and physically bashed them up. Paul Hurst's hard men racked up a 14-5 foul count before the interval, which they increased to 23-8 before the final whistle. They also survived a confident penalty appeal when rock-hard skipper Mat Sadler blatantly handled Joe Aribo's dangerous cross. Ruthless Town manipulated the rules, brushed aside their frail opposition and ran out comfortable winners.

The security given them by Jon Nolan's wonder strike at The Valley three days previously bolstered Shrewsbury. Charlton struggle to score once, much less twice, in any single game; yet again, their lack of a natural finisher saw them complete this vital game without seriously testing Dean Henderson. It also goes without saying that not a single cross was provided for Josh Magennis, a more than useful header of a ball but one regularly starved of even average service from the flanks.

At the other end, Ben Amos was the visitors' best performer, his pair of first half saves from Alex Rodman, the first low at his near post, the second in one-on-one confrontation with the winger a minute before the interval, prolonging Charlton's academic interest in the tie. The marvellous stop he made from Stefan Payne in second half added time meant little in the bigger picture but confirmed Amos' consistent excellence, which made nonsense of his absence from the top three nominations as Player-of-the-Season recently.

As this second leg chugged along in a mirror-image of the first, tough guy Carlton Morris scored Town's matchwinner at almost precisely the same stage as Nolan had so memorably struck at The Valley. Moving alertly into position as the outstanding Shaun Whalley burst through to the right byline, the Norwich City loanee took a steadying touch before fizzing the attacking midfielder's perfect cutback past Amos into the bottom right corner. It wasn't as spectacular as Nolan's howitzer but was even more effective in settling Charlton's hash.

The Addicks' meagre chances are easily recounted. Magennis turned sharply in the penalty area but blasted Jake Forster-Caskey's free kick over the bar; Aribo's devastating break should have resulted in a penalty when Sadler handled; Nicky Ajose was denied by Aristote Nsiala's fine recovery tackle as he bore down on Henderson; Forster-Caskey's fierce drive brought Henderson plunging to his left to save. For a team that simply had to score, it was hardly the constant softening-up bombardment prepatory to getting back on terms. But in reality, Charlton were as good as beaten as soon as Nolan scored at The Valley. The bookies could have settled then.

Ah well, here's Elkie Brooks to sing us out again. "Fool if you think it's over..." er, you can give it a rest now, Elkie, wrong choice to be brutally honest. Thing is, it's as over as over gets for now. But thanks for trying. Come back in August. You're always welcome.

Shrewsbury: Henderson, Godfrey, Sadler, Beckles, Whalley (Riley 89), Carlton Morris (Payne 69), Bolton, Bryn Morris, Nolan (Jon-Lewis 90), Nsiala, Rodman. Not used: MacGillivray, Lowe, Jones, Eisa. Booked: Bryn Morris, Nolan.

Att: 9,026 (1,568 visiting).

Charlton 0 Shrewsbury Town 1 (Nolan 80).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

If Charlton make it to the League One play-off final at Wembley on Sunday May 27th, they will have gone about it the hard way. They made a disastrous start by conceding this first leg semi-final to streetwise Shrewsbury, falling victims to a stunning late strike from Scouse-Irishman Jon Nolan which placed into brutal context their own lack of cutting edge.

A goalless draw -far from the worst result to take with them to Shropshire on Sunday- seemed fair reward for their earnest endeavours until Nolan astutely judged a dropping ball, nodded to him by Stefan Payne on the edge of the penalty area, adjusted his body shape, then detonated a superb, dipping volley which brushed the underside of the bar before nestling sweetly behind the blameless Ben Amos. It was a fine goal worthy of deciding a game at any level and was scored by the best player on view.

After surviving an early battering by their on-fire hosts, Shrews settled into their task. They were compact, disciplined and when the occasion demanded, capable of cold-eyed ruthlessness. The first half assaults by brick outhouse Carlton Morris on Patrick Bauer, from which he escaped without censure, then later on Jason Pearce, which earned him a yellow, rather than the red card he deserved, were clear messages of intent. Cynical trips on Konsa and Tariqe Fosu after the interval, the second of them earning Alex Rodman a caution, further displayed Shrews' grasp of the darker arts.

The visitors also made an art form of timewasting, more kindly referred to these days as game management, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson already artfully slowing the pace in the torrid early going as he mulled over the correct positioning of his goalkicks. It pays off too as a paltry total of five added minutes over both halves proved. The visitors accounted for most of that derisory allowance while wildly celebrating Nolan's matchwinner.

The Addicks' sickening defeat, however, had its roots in more painfully familiar ground, namely their chronic inability to finish what they so often attractively start. During a blistering opening, Stephy Mavididi's hard, low cross eluded Josh Magennis, was returned by Konsa from the opposite flank but headed lamely wide by Magennis. Jake Forster-Caskey was more accurate with the low drive which forced Henderson into a full length save and Nicky Ajose came close with a volley that sent Magennis' lay-off whistling over the bar. An instinctive finisher might have converted at least one of the blur of early chances. But an instinctive finisher is conspicuous by his absence. As it is, the Addicks regularly bring cap pistols to a gunfight.

Until Nolan broke local hearts, Charlton had coped comfortably against a useful side which clearly regarded a draw as a positive result. Pearce, Bauer and sitting tenant Ahmed Kashi were their usual, solid selves while behind them Amos was impeccable. Jay Dasilva was a more progressive full back than a newly responsible Konsa and stayed alive to the problems caused by Mavididi's blind alley running and irritating losses of possession. The unfairly maligned Ben Reeves, whose last second intervention prevented Nolan from scoring earlier than he did, worked fruitlessly, as did Forster-Caskey. Up front, Magennis battled gamely alongside Ajose and with Fosu expected to replace Mavididi at Shrewsbury, might thrive on better service. Lee Bowyer's men did their best but were narrowly beatenby a better side.

With nothing to lose, Charlton might be a different proposition in the second leg against hosts who finished 16 points ahead of them during the regular season. Hardbitten interim boss Bowyer, no doubt aware that Thursday's crowd included an interested Australian prospector, was measured in his reaction to this disappointing defeat, claiming that his side deserved at least a share of the first-leg spoils but warning that the tie remains far from settled. Winners at Montgomery Waters Meadow less than a month ago by precisely the 2-0 scoreline required on Sunday, the Addicks are not yet a spent force.

The last words will be left to the incomparable Elkie Brooks, a soulful thrush from an age when singers kept their clothes on while singing. "Fool if you think it's over," crooned Elkie ..."it's just begun". Er, not entirely accurate, Elkie, actually it's half over. But nice one, girl, we catch your drift. Hope we can live up to it.

Charlton: Amos, Konsa, Bauer, Pearce, Dasilva, Kashi, Reeves (Aribo 76), Forster-Caskey, Mavididi (Fosu 62), Ajose (Zyro 90), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Marshall, Sarr, Dijksteel.

Att: 14,367 (777 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Pearce 19) Blackburn Rovers 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

A League One play-off shot lies within Charlton's grasp following this victory for bloody-minded determination and sheer stubbornness. There were times during Blackburn's second half assault on Ben Amos' goal when the visitors seemed certain to equalise Jason Pearce's outrageously flukey opener. But bodies were thrown on the line, heroic tackles made and when the chips were down, Amos was superb. There were one or two favours from fortune, quite apart from Pearce's inadvertent intervention, but if you can't be good, at least be lucky. Lee Bowyer cheerfully admitted that his side was lucky but correctly pointed out that they were also pretty good.

In the away dug-out, Rovers' manager Tony Mowbray generously made himself a hostage to the said fortune by making six changes from the team which clinched promotion in midweek at Doncaster. Among those left out were veteran goalscorer Danny Graham and, more significantly, ex-Charlton academy youngster Bradley Dack, recently named as League One's Player of the Season. Striker Graham and attacking midfielder Dack are responsible between them for 30 of Blackburn's 80 league goals this season and it's safe to say that their absence was a break for Bowyer's men. Charlton had their hands full with Mowbray's second stringers but this was definitely the ideal day to face Rovers.

Nothing in a routine first half alerted the Addicks to the ordeal they faced after the break. Ben Reeves and Jake Forster-Caskey, reassured by Ahmed Kashi's steadiness behind them, dominated a visiting midfield clearly lacking Dack's dynamic input. Tarique Fosu's individual impact was missed up front but there was enough to suggest that a relatively comfortable afternoon awaited the hosts. On 19 minutes, their prospects were further boosted by the streakiest of goals.

An inswinging corner delivered by Forster-Caskey from the right flank was headed away to Ezri Konsa, whose cross was cleared to Kashi, lying in wait outside the penalty area. The Algerian's first time shot found the bottom left corner via the most helpful of deflections off Pearce as Jayson Leutwiler moved in the wrong direction. Reportedly re-routed by one of Pearce's buttocks, it was a cheeky way to score but no more than the skipper deserved for his titanic contribution at the heart of Charlton's second half defiance.

With their main priority realised earlier in the week, the Ewood men offered little until Amos was forced to backpedal desperately in clawing Charlie Mulgrew's treacherously dipping corner to safety. But shortly before the interval, local hearts skipped a beat as Dominic Samuel, sent through by Richie Smallwood, appeared to be tripped by the pursuing Konsa on the 18-yard line. No penalty - not even a free kick - ruled well-positioned Merseyside referee Robert Jones as The Valley exhaled in relief. Luck had clearly resolved to be ladylike to Charlton and there was more largesse on the way during a harrowing second session.

It began badly for the Addicks' snakebitten left back Lewis  Page, who picked up a yellow card for a wild lunge on Leutwiler, then sustained a bad gash above his knee in combining bravely with Amos to thwart a close range effort from Samuel.

With Rovers responding to their sold-out end, Amos spread himself brilliantly to smother Smallwood's attempt to crown an irresistible solo run, then saved twice from Jack Payne. Charlton's inspired keeper deserved the luck (still another timely contribution from the notoriously fickle lady) he received when Samuel headed Mulgrew's corner against the underside of the bar. In one of numerous, hair-raising goalmouth scrambles, Pearce's emergency block on Graham stood out while, alongside the captain, Patrick Bauer was calmly efficient and Mark Marshall rubberstamped his inclusion at Joe Aribo's expense, with a feverishly hardworking box-to-box stint on alternating wings. Aribo eventually replaced an exhausted Reeves, who had more than done his bit. Even the cruel but justified addition of seven minutes was comfortably negotiated before an appreciative Valley rose to salute their gutsy heroes.

They're not there yet but Bowyer and an affectionately greeted Johnnie Jackson are on the brink of masterminding a play-off opportunity for a squad on the verge of collapse before they took charge. It will soon be time for bashful owner Roland Duchatelet, with talk of a take-over fading fast, to decide who leads Charlton into the 2018-19 season. Promotion to the Championship would force his hand in favour of the Bowyer-Jackson ticket but they should be given the responsibility anyway whatever the upcoming weeks hold in store. There's wild gossip, meanwhile, that Yves Ordure-LaTrine of FC Brussels Sprouts (no-one likes us, we don't care) is available after leading FCBS into the Belgian sixth tier but hopefully that's no more than a rumour. For almost but not quite the last time this season the cry gathers volume - Bowyer In! Jackson In! Come on Roland, you know it makes sense. You already lost much-coveted Joey Barton to Fleetwood due to excessive dithering.

Charlton: Amos, Konsa, Bauer, Pearce, Page (Dasilva 50), Kashi, Reeves (Aribo 86), Forster-Caskey, Marshall, Ajose (Mavididi 80), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Jackson, Lennon, Zyro. Booked: Page, Forster-Caskey.

Blackburn: Leutwiler, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Downing, Caddis (Travis 63), Bell, Smallwood, Evans (Whittingham 75), Armstrong, Samuel, Payne (Graham 63). Booked: Lenihan, Downing, Smallwood, Payne.  Not used: Fisher, Antonsson, Tomlinson, Nuttall.

Referee: Robert Jones. Att: 17,310 (3,110 visiting)