Addicks' deadly duo off target as Baggies bag point

Charlton 0 West Brom 0

The corresponding fixture last season sparked the run which saw the Baggies escape relegation and it was perhaps been unrealistic to expect a repeat of that 4-1 away win.

After a scrappy start West Brom's Jonathan Greening decided to liven up proceedings with the game's first moment of note in the 25th minute.

He fired in a low 25-yarder which would have found the net had not goalkeeper Thomas Myhre dived smartly to his right to keep it out.

Three minutes later Charlton should have been in front when top scorer Darren Bent was quickest to a long ball which bounced invitingly off strike partner and namesake Marcus.

But the England hopeful fired weakly across goal.

Albion might have taken the lead before the break but Geoff Horsfield could not convert either of the chances that came his way.

His first effort, a close range header bounced back off the post and across the face of goal before being hacked clear and a few minutes later he showed quick feet in the box to elude two challengers before firing wastefully wide at the crucial moment.

Charlton came close to breaking the deadlock in the second half through Hughes, who saw a well-struck shot palmed away by the goalkeeper and then sent a free header from a set-piece wastefully over the bar.

Albion then survived a penalty appeal when Robinson appeared to have pushed Marcus Bent at the vital moment as he sought to convert Darren Bent's ball across goal.

Charlton sent Jerome Thomas on in place of Darren Ambrose for the final 17 minutes and there was another scare for the away side when Marcus Bent went down in the box under a Neil Clement challenge.

Referee Peter Walton gave it a long, hard look but waved for play to continue.

Davies made a point-saving challenge on Darren Bent just as the striker was about to pick his spot and there was to be no late breakthrough despite the late arrival of Jay Bothroyd, who had provided a last-gasp cup winner at the weekend.

CHARLTON: Myhre, Young, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Powell, Hughes, Holland (Kishishev 43), Smertin, Ambrose (Thomas 72), Darren Bent, Marcus Bent (Bothroyd 83).

WEST BROM: Kuszczak, Albrechtsen, Curtis Davies, Clement, Robinson, Greening, Inamoto, Johnson, Carter, Campbell (Ellington 55), Horsfield.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).