Blades power past Addicks

Beattie: Opened scoring

Related links

Teams

• Charlton Athletic
• Sheffield United

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• Transfer Centre
• Super 6: Win £100k

Alan Pardew's Charlton Athletic misery continued after Sheffield United romped to a 5-2 victory at the Valley.

James Beattie gave the Blades an early lead, only for Linvoy Primus to soon equalise, however the visitors were 3-1 in front at the break following goals from Gary Speed and Matthew Kilgallon.

United forged further ahead early in the second half through a Kelly Youga own goal and Stephen Quinn effort before Hameur Bouazza pulled one back to leave the embattled Pardew clinging to his job.

The defensive frailties which have dogged Charlton's campaign were soon on display as they fell behind to the Blades' first real attack.

Quinn's cross from the left was missed by Billy Sharp, but ex-Addicks loanee Greg Halford pulled the ball back to former England striker Beattie, who made no mistake from six yards for his eighth goal of the season.

Nicky Weaver, who gifted Birmingham two goals in last weekend's defeat at St Andrews, almost cost his side again when he charged out of goal to clear a loose ball only as far as Halford, who lobbed it back over the stranded Charlton keeper and onto the crossbar.

Within moments of almost going two behind, Charlton were level when Nicky Bailey whipped in a free-kick from the right and on-loan Portsmouth defender Primus headed his first goal since December 2006.

Disaster

But the Blades took the lead again in the 29th minute when 39-year-old midfielder Speed nodded Brian Howard's cross past Weaver.

Paddy Kenny made a fine save to stop Primus levelling again with a header from another Bailey cross before, at the other end in first-half stoppage time, Weaver flapped at Kyle Naughton's cross and Kilgallon tucked the into an empty net.

If the first period had ended badly for Charlton, the second half began disastrously when Halford's long throw bounced in the area and Youga tucked the ball past his own goalkeeper in the 48th minute.

Five minutes later Quinn met Howard's ball from the right with a sweet left-foot shot which gave Weaver no chance.

Bouazza pulled a goal back in the 55th minute when he tucked away Lloyd Sam's pass.

But despite a late rally following the introduction of strikers Svetoslav Todorov and Martyn Waghorn, the Addicks could not save themselves from another damaging defeat while buoyant United climbed to fourth in the table.