DI CANIO SAVES POINT FOR HAMMERS
The Italian collected Frederick Kanoute's lay-off on the left hand side of the penalty area and raced across the box before hitting a powerful effort into the top right corner of the Charlton goal.
The goal was the end result of a lot of pressure from Harry Redknapp's side, as they dominated proceedings from the moment Charlton took their early lead.
The home side began the game the brighter, keen to gain revenge for the 5-0 drubbing they received in the reverse fixture at Upton Park on Boxing Day, but it was West Ham who had the first opportunity to score when Joe Cole capitalised on Mark Fish's mis-control on the edge of the Charlton box, but fired his effort just wide of Dean Kiely's goal.
This proved to be an indication of what was to follow for West Ham in the first half as despite numerous chances they rarely made the Irish keeper in the home goal work.
After seven minutes, Alan Curbishley's side took the lead when Paul Konchesky won the ball in midfield and then squeezed a ball through to Bartlett on the right hand side of the West Ham area, from where the South African international slipped the ball past Craig Forrest in The Hammers' goal.
West Ham's defence started off a little shaky as would have been expected with debutant Christian Dailly alongside relatively new recruits Hanu Tihinen and Rigobert Song in a three man defence and on-loan Metz defender Sebastian Schemmel making his first appearance at right wing back. To their credit thought, after this goal they were rarely threatened by the Charlton attack.
On the quarter hour mark, di Canio showed he possessed a work-rate to go with his talent, when he raced to shut down a Kiely clearance and the ricochet flew just wide of the Charlton goal.
Michael Carrick, who put in an excellent performance in front of the watching Sven Goran Eriksson, had a long range effort well saved by the Charlton keeper five minutes later.
As West Ham continued to control the game, both their strikers had chances to equalise within minutes towards the end of the half, but both spurned wastefull.
In the 37th minute, Frederic Kanoute - who gave a display showing why Harry Redknapp refuses to countenance selling him - met Joe Cole's intelligent cross six yards out at the near post, but headed wide of the target.
Three minutes later Frank Lampard put through di Canio in acres of space down the inside left channel but he hit his effort wide of the far post.
Just before the interval, Charlton had a chance to extend their lead but Claus Jensen's tricky twenty-five yard drive was parried out by The Hammers' Canadian keeper.
The Charlton boss switched tactics at half time, changing to a three centre back formation to mirror their opponent's formation, but there was little change in the pattern of play.
Kanoute and di Canio continued to torment the home defence although they somehow appeared to be holding out for victory.
They were denied an equaliser on the hour mark when Kanoute brilliantly slipped a ball through to Schemmel in the right hand side of the area, who drew Kiely and squared to Cole, but the young England hopeful's effort was superbly blocked by Andy Todd's chest.
Soon afterwards Frank Lampard should have equalised for the away side when he was played in by Cole's flick, but he steered his effort straight at The Addicks keeper.
Just as Charlton seemed set to hold on for an unlikely and undeserved victory di Canio struck in superb style, although Kiely - will have been disappointed not to have saved the effort after getting his hands to the Italian's shot.
With time running out West Ham may have snatched all three points to take back across the River Thames, but Kanoute failed to slip in di Canio and he hit his effort wide of the Kiely goal.
The result means West Ham remain in 11th place and Charlton ninth, but both sides will feel encouraged by their respective performances.
The Addicks now have 33 points and their battling performance showed why they have lost just once at home this season and are not among the relegation strugglers.
Meanwhile, the superb performance from the depleted West Ham side will make fans of the East End club feel they can make a late surge to compete for a European place.
