A late Jon Stead goal for Neil Warnock's Sheffield United ensured the Blades would be leaving The Valley to head back to Yorkshire with a point.

The game was built up as a '£50million game', a game that was a must win for Charlton Athletic. The Addicks gave the game a dramatic build up with Abba tributists Bjorn Again providing Pre-Match entertainment, with icon Derek Hales urging fans to get behind their team.

The Addicks were almost behind within three minutes at The Valley, as Keith Gillespie put a dangerous ball in to the box, but the ball was a few yards in front of the on rushing Luton Shelton, who was booked for handling the ball.

Alan Pardew's attacking side went close soon after, Dennis Rommedahl providing the inch perfect cross to the on rushing Darren Ambrose, but his header went inches wide of Paddy Kenny's near post.

Darren Bent kept the Charlton chances flowing, as he broke clear of his marker, but his volly from Ambrose's in swinging corner was wide. Bent had past a late fitness test over a troublesome calf injury. Momnets later Paddy Kenny tipped over El Karkouri's deflected free-kick as Charlton began to pile the pressure on to the Yorkshire men.

Sheffield United began to create chances of their own following a tactical switch from gaffer Neil Warnock. Scott Carson did excellently to tip Gillespie's header round the post from Armstrong's deep cross in to the area. The tension was really building now, you could feel the tension in the air as the game began to slow down.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started to warm up along the touchline, but was soon sat back in the dug-out as Talal El Karkouri strook to give Charlton the lead. El Karkouri's speculative 35-yard shot came off Michael Tonge and then Matthew Kilgallon before rolling in to the back of the net in slow motion, beating the dive of Kenny. Charlton still looked edgy though, but their lead was short lived.

Jon Stead hit a fantastic shot in to the far corner of Scott Carson's net after a neat lay off from Colin Montgomery on the edge of the area.

Hasselbaink did make his enterance after the goal, but he failed to make any impact on the game. The game ended leaving Charlton still in the bottom three, United stay two points clear of the 18th-placed Addicks with three games left to play. One of which is a televised clash with Tottenham.

"It was a tight, tense affair. Both sets of players carried the burden of trying to stay in the Premiership. I was happy with the way we played, but our goal actually affected us in a negative way more than it did them. We had our worst spell after we scored.

"But we're still right in there, so we fight on." Said Alan Pardew speaking to Beeb Sport.

Charlton: Carson, Young, El Karkouri, Diawara (Bougherra 76), Thatcher (Hreidarsson 71), Zheng, Song Billong, Ambrose, Rommedahl, Darren Bent, Thomas (Hasselbaink 73). Subs Not Used: Randolph, Holland.

Booked: Song Billong, Diawara, Zheng, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson.

Goals: El Karkouri 59.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary (Leigertwood 83), Morgan, Jagielka, Kilgallon, Gillespie, Tonge, Montgomery, Armstrong, Shelton (Kazim-Richards 60), Stead. Subs Not Used: Bennett, Kozluk, Nade.

Booked: Shelton, Montgomery, Kenny.

Goals: Stead 69.

Att: 27,111

Ref: A Wiley.

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