Charlton 1
West Bromwich Albion 4
Charlton 1 West Bromwich Albion 4
Charlton suffered their biggest humiliation of the season as they were defeated 4-1 at home by relegation favourites West Bromwich Albion.
Less than 72 hours after a terrific win over Tottenham Hotspur that seemed to have pushed the race for Europe into overdrive, the 10-man Addicks were humbled thanks to a hat-trick in 15 minutes courtesy of substitute Robert Earnshaw, so often linked with Alan Curbishley before leaving Cardiff City for The Hawthorns last year.
The scores were level at 1-1 when the Welshman replaced Kieran Richardson in the 64th minute, but he scored a header, a deft chip and a penalty to condemn Charlton to a biggest defeat since the home loss to Chelsea in November - in front of a biggest home attendance in 27 years.
Bryan Robson's side - who had not won away from home in the Premiership this season, and not at The Valley in some 51 years - had taken an early lead through Geoff Horsfield, but Jonatan Johansson quickly restored parity before a moment of madness that changed the game, as defender Talal El Karkouri saw red in the 28th minute for an awful two-footed challenge on Zoltan Gera.
While the Tottenham match had seen the Addicks make the perfect start, quite the opposite was true against second-from-bottom Albion.
The Baggies had made a good start with Dean Kiely having already saved well from Ronnie Wallwork, Jonathan Greening and Gera seeing a shot blocked before the lively Greening broke down the left in the ninth minute.
The ex-Manchester United midfielder swung in a cross that was cleared, but only to the edge of the area and was headed out to Gera on the right of goal.
With Charlton's defence drawn to that side he simply volleyed across goal and Horsfield had the simplest of finishes as he headed home into the empty net.
It was no less than the visitors deserved, and matters could have got even better than that in the 22nd minute when Mark Fish - who replaced Chris Perry in the starting XI - clumsily gave away a free-kick on the edge of the area and right in front of goal as he brought down Horsfield.
Gera lined up the set-piece and as his effort flew over the wall Kiely looked completely wrong-footed but managed to change direction in a fraction of a second and palm over the bar.
While West Brom looked more composed and full of ideas in the first period there were definitely chances for the taking if only the Addicks could get forward.
The first opportunity for Charlton fell to Johansson, who had replaced Dennis Rommedahl on the right wing but within five minutes of the game starting was up front with Shaun Bartlett.
And it was the Finn that in the 15th minute was on hand to run on to a poor header from Neil Clement back to goalkeeper Russell Hoult.
Johansson just got to the ball first and added the slightest of touches but Hoult did very well to just knock wide of goal.
Nine minutes later, however, Johansson made amends by claiming his first goal since the win over Norwich City in November.
Jerome Thomas picked up the ball in Charlton's half and played a delightful throughball that released Johansson through the middle.
Hoult again came out well but couldn't make the necessary contact with the ball to prevent it from beating him, and the Finn was able to prod home to level matters.
Unfortunately the numbers on either side didn't stay equal for long as El Kakouri was given his marching orders following his tackle on Gera.
The Moroccan had already been involved in a clash with Horsfield when Gera picked up possession in Charlton's half and looked to break forward.
The defender slid over the ball with both feet and must have expected to be dismissed by referee Mark Halsey.
Halsey further angered fans when he soon after refused to give a free-kick in Charlton's favour when Paul Robinson seemed to bring down Jerome Thomas.
The Baggies broke and forced a save from Kiely - heaven knows what would have happened if the visitors had scored.
There were chances at both ends of a sunny Valley before the break, with Kiely saving well from Ronnie Wallwork and Luke Young deflecting a Horsfield shot wide, while Hermann Hreidarsson had a header cleared from the line by early substitute Darren Moore.
Chances were few and far between as the second period progressed, but as the minutes ticked by it became more clear that Albion had the extra man.
In the last 20 minutes there was a little bit of extra energy from the 11-man side, and Hreidarsson, taking over from El Karkouri in central defence with Paul Konchesky as left-back, was too often caught out of position as he almost attempted to do too much.
Both Horsfield and Gera had slight opportunities early in the second period, with neither hitting the target, while Paul Robinson was offered a great chance thanks to a Campbell lay-off but could only hit straight at Kiely.
The Addicks' only real sniff of goal came in the 68th minute when Thomas showed a few nice touches on the left wing before cutting inside and swinging in brilliantly for Bartlett.
The striker was straight in front of goal and managed to get away from Clement, but while he headed down - as they tell you in the textbooks - his effort was straight at the legs of Hoult.
Nine minutes after coming into the action, Earnshaw made no such mistake when offered a header in front of goal with 73 minutes gone.
A deep cross was floated across goal from the left and Horsfield managed to beat Konchesky for a header and knock back into the danger area.
Somehow Earnshaw had found yards of space after pulling away from Fish, and he expertly glanced his header beyond Kiely's reach.
Eleven minutes later and the Baggies extended their lead through the same man when he beat the offside trap - with Konchesky playing him onside - and raced on to Gera's throughball.
The forward took a single touch and then had all the time in the world to make up his mind what to do next - and that was to chip the out-rushing Kiely to guarantee the away win.
The humiliation was complete with a minute remaining when substitute Bryan Hughes chopped down Richard Chaplow just inside the area.
There was only one man that would take the kick, and that was ex-Cardiff City man Earnshaw who sent Kiely the wrong way to finish the scoring and grab his 13th of the season.
A bad day at The Valley - but with 11 men Charlton have every chance of beating managerless Manchester City at home in two weeks.
Charlton: Kiely, Hreidarsson, Young, Fish, El Karkouri, Holland, Konchesky, Murphy (Rommedahl 78), Thomas, Johansson (Euell 69), Bartlett (Hughes 83). Subs (not used): Andersen, Perry.
Goal: Johansson 24.
Sent off: El Karkouri 28 (foul on Gera).
West Brom: Hoult, Robinson, Albrechtsen, Clement, Gaardsoe (Moore 22), Greening, Wallwork, Gera (Chaplow 87), Richardson (Earnshaw 64), Campbell, Horsfield. Subs (not used): Kuszczak, Kanu.
Goals: Horsfield 9, Earnshaw 73, 84, 89 (pen).
Ref: M Halsey.
Att: 27,104.
TEAM NEWS: Fish and Johansson replace Perry and Rommedahl, with Jeffers (ill) and Kishishev (hamstring) missing out. Hughes returns to the bench.
4: Kiely saves well from Wallwork after Charlton fail to clear from their area.
5: Hreidarsson whips in from the left but Bartlett misses his kick.
6: Greening presses forward and a stinging shot is just palmed wide by Kiely.
9: GOAL! Horsfield heads home into an open goal after Charlton are all at sea when a Greening cross is partially cleared but then knocked back to Gera, who volleys across the six-yard box for the striker. (Addicks 0 West Brom 1)
15: Johansson manages to intercept Clement's header towards Hoult, but his slight touch is just knocked wide by the goalkeeper.
16: Both Murphy and Bartlett are offered shots in West Brom's penalty area, but the latter miskicks and Murphy is closed down.
22: West Brom are handed a free kick on the edge of the penalty area after Fish is adjudged to have pulled back Horsfield as the striker turns.
22: The injured central defender Gaardsoe is replaced by Moore.
22: The free kick is smashed towards goal and Kiely somehow changes direction to palm over the bar.
24: GOAL! Johansson runs on to Thomas' throughball and although Hoult runs out to deflect the first attempt, the Finn slots into the empty goal at the second time of asking. (Addicks 1 West Brom 1)
28: SENT OFF! El Karkouri is shown a red card after going in with two feet on Gera.
36: Richardson flies through the midfield but his left-footed shot goes wide.
39: Horsfield lays off for Campbell in Charlton's area but the forward's toe-poke is deflected wide by Young.
39: Murphy is caught in possession by Wallwork just outside the area, but the midfielder's effort is brilliantly saved by Kiely.
41: Hreidarsson's header is nodded off the line by Moore as the Iceland ace takes advantage of a mix-up between Hoult and his defence as West Brom defend a Murphy free kick.
44: The crowd are incensed as Robinson appears to foul Thomas but referee Halsey allows them to play on and break, with Kiely eventually having to save from the attacking full-back.
HALF TIME: Addicks 1 West Brom 1.
49: Horsfield heads over the bar from close range, and is then involved in a fracas with Hreidarsson.
60: Campbell knocks wide for the overlapping Robinson, who can only fire at Kiely's body.
64: Gera is offered a free shot from just outside the area but can only curl wide of the target.
64: Earnshaw replaces Richardson as West Brom switch to three up front.
68: Bartlett gets in front of Clement to meet Thomas' brilliant inswinging cross just in front of goal, but he can only nod down straight into the path of Hoult.
69: Euell replaces Johansson, with Holland moving to the right side of midfield.
73: GOAL! Earnshaw puts the Baggies back in front when he glances a header into the back of the net, meeting Horsfield's nod across goal. (Addicks 1 West Brom 2)
78: Rommedahl replaces Murphy, with Holland moving back into central midfield.
81: Holland intercepts on the right wing, with Bartlett breaking into the area - but his quick cross is off-target.
83: Bartlett comes off with Hughes as replacement. Euell moves up front.
84: GOAL! Earnshaw beats the offside trap and chips Kiely to guarantee the win. (Addicks 1 West Brom 3)
89: GOAL! It's a penalty as Hughes kicks away Chaplow's standing leg - and Earnshaw knocks cleanly home to notch up a Premiership hat-trick. (Addicks 1 West Brom 4)
FULL TIME: Addicks 1 West Brom 4