CHARLTON 1 SAINTS 1

SAINTS moved a point nearer to Championship safety with a battling 1-1 draw at Charlton.

Roared on by 3,200 Saints fans decked out in yellow, Nigel Pearson's men took an early lead in the most bizarre circumstances at The Valley.

But, despite Charlton finding a second half equaliser, Saints looked in control and comfortable and were full value for their point which keeps them two away from the drop zone.

The heavens opened as the game kicked off at The Valley creating a slick surface.

Both sides were happy to take advantage and kept the ball on the deck and tried to move it quickly.

Though there were no chances in the opening stages of the game Saints would have been quite happy as they kept it tight and started to frustrate Charlton.

And in the end it paid off as Saints took the lead on 11 minutes in the most amazing of circumstances.

Inigo Idiakez hit a long range free kick which Darren Randolph pushed away to his left.

Jason Euell came in and crossed back across goal to Stern John. His connection was poor and it looped up high in the air towards the far post.

Randolph caught it under the bar but collided with the post and his own player and amazingly just dropped the ball into his own net for 1-0.

Saints were given a reprieve on 14 minutes when Chris Iwelumo got a sight of goal and fired in a shot that beat Richard Wright but cannoned back off the bar.

Charlton had appeals for a penalty turned down on 20 minutes when Leroy Lita went down under the challenge of Chris Perry just inside the area but it was close to the linesman who indicated it was not a foul.

The Addicks were coming closer and closer and Lita in particular was causing problems hanging on the shoulder of the last man. He lobbed Wright but also the bar when Greg Halford's ball over the top got him in three minutes later.

Like Lita, Lee Cook's pace also posed Saints difficulties and it was he who won a free kick 25 yards out that Halford hit low past the wall but saw deflected back out of the area.

Jose Semedo became the first player in the book on 27 minutes for a late sliding tackle on Euell.

Lita had another sight of goal on the half hour mark, this time heading over Halford's cross from the right from eight yards out.

As the half wore to a close Saints were making life very difficult for their hosts, keeping two compact banks of four behind the ball and proving very hard for Charlton to break down much to the frustration of their fans.

When the half time whistle went it was with Saints in the lead and, while the goal owed much to luck, they had played out the rest of the half in exactly the way they needed to approach the second period.

Charlton made a double change at half time to try and get themselves back into the game with Darren Ambrose and Andy Gray replacing Semedo and Iwelumo.

But despite the Charlton changes the second half continued in the way the first had ended.

Saints were organised and disciplined, Charlton were playing very narrowly and it was all fairly comfortable for Pearson's side.

They might not have been creating chances themselves but they were making sure Charlton didn't either.

Charlton did threaten to carve through on 56 minutes but Jermaine Wright's last ditch tackle prevented Lita getting in. Charlton appealed for a penalty but the referee said Wright had taken the ball.

A minute later Jermaine Wright was the first Saints player booked for time wasting.

Ambrose came close on 61 minutes when Lita played the ball back into his path but his half volley from the edge of the area went over the bar.

Both sides were furious on 63 minutes when it first appeared Bradley Wright-Phillips was tugged by last man Majid Bougherra and then the same happened at the other end when Lita went down under Chris Lucketti. The ref waved play on on both occasions.

Wright-Phillips blazed a good chance over the bar moments later before a deflected shot allowed Lita to head over Richard Wright but onto the roof of the net as the pace suddenly picked up.

And it wasn't long before another goal which was the equaliser for Charlton.

Cook whipped in the free kick from the left and Gray rose highest to head home past Richard Wright who got fingertips to it but couldn't keep it out and it was 1-1.

Saints responded with a first change with Jhon Viafara on for Idiakez.

Richard Wright produced a brilliant save to keep the scores level two minutes later, charging out and blocking Ambrose when it seemed certain to would turn Lita's header back across goal into the net.

Wright-Phillips and Bougherra both went into the book after a tussle.

Saints had a headed chance of their own with Lucketti putting wide Mario Licka's free kick.

Saints made a second change on 76 minutes with Marek Saganowski replacing Wright-Phillips.

Both sides made their final substitution three minutes later with Jerome Thomas replacing Zherng Zhi for Charlton and Vincent Pericard on for John for Saints.

Charlton won a free kick 20 yards out in a central position after Lucketti tugged Gray's shirt. Cook took it but it went harmlessly over the bar.

Saganowksi tried his luck form distance but despite Randolph mishandling the ball he kept it out.

The fourth official held up the board showing four minutes of stoppage time and Saints knew they would be under pressure and needed to hang on for a point.

Thomas had a great chance to win it at the death when he was played in on goal by Lita but he put his effort when one-on-one with Richard Wright well wide of the target.

It proved to be the last kick of the game and it ended 1-1 with Saints picking up a valuable point in their battle for Championship survival.