Gordon Strachan kept faith with the side that was so unlucky to lose at Derby with three new faces on the bench in Jo Tessem, Kevin Davies and Francis Benali.

Matthew Le Tissier was ruled out by yet another calf strain and there was no room for new Equador winger Klever Chala, primarily because of the language barrier.

Charlton were without Jason Euell and South African International Sean Bartlett was recalled in attack.

Saints found themselves under pressure early on when Jones kicked straight to Bartlett but Oakley was quick to close down.

From a neatly worked Charlton free kick, Jensen's curling shot hit the wall and when the ball rebounded back to him his dipping volley was straight at Jones.

A long throw from the right by Oakley found the head of Marsden, ghosting through from deep but the ball looped into the hands of Kiely.

Charlton looked to be under orders to go for an early goal in a bid to increase the pressure from the fans.

But it was Saints who won the first corner and a dangerous nearpost kick by Svensson was well flicked on by Williams and nodded behind by Fish just ahead of Beattie.

Pahars wriggled his way diagonally from left to right tracked by Konchesky who closed him down enough to force the eventual chip off target.

Charlton cleared two Saints corners before Pahars found Beattie whoise chip was nodded away by Fish. Marsden's diagonal ball into the box was spilled by the keeper who just managed to retrieve it in front of Pahars.

Saints came closest to breaking the deadlock on 20-minutes when Pahars did well to whip in a cross from the left from very little space and Beattie stole a yard on Brown and swung his left foot on the turn but the looping volley flew just wide.

Svensson gave a rare indication of his shooting power when he let fly from 30 yards but Kieley saved.

Bridge made a superb break at pace through the inside left channel but was closed down just before he could shoot. Instead he laid back for Beattie who drove a powerful side-foot shot only for the keeper to dive to his right to make a spectacular save.

Beattie had another near miss on 27-minutes when Brown's back header fell short of the keeper and the Saints striker darted in. He failed to connect with his first attempt but retrieved the ball to the left of goal and from the tightest of angles screwed a left foot shot across the goal and just wide.

There was a scare, though, at the other end when Jensen had a goal-bound shot bravely blocked by Oakley and there were a few hearts in mouths in case the deflection took it in but the ball squirted wide in a rare change of good fortune.

Saints were making most of the running and should have taken the lead on the half-hour when Bridge cut in and chipped right footed, putting the ball on the head of the unmarked Beattie who had stolen in front of Powell. It was a golden chance but he nodded it too close to the keeper.

Lundekvam hobbled off for treatment on his right ankle and was clearly still feeling it as he limped back on.

Saints escaped when Bartlett's header flew over seemingly taking a deflection off Bridge although no corner was given.

Oakley was warned for a foul on Brown and at the same time the referee had to break-up a heated row between Brown and his own team-mate Stuart.

Three minutes before the break Saints carved the visitors open as Svensson played a one-two with Beattie and wriggled in on goal only for Kieley to hurl himself bravely at the Swede's feet at the expense of a corner which was nodded behind by Powell.Half-time: Saints 0 - Charlton 0

*** FOR THE FULL MATCH REPORT, SEE TONIGHT'S 'PINK' - ON SALE NOW, AND THE DAILY ECHO AND THIS IS THE SAINTS.CO.UK ON MONDAY***