Charlton Athletic - 2 Blackburn Rovers - 3: If Charlton had been hoping that this competition would offer some respite from their recent wretched form they were proved sadly mistaken as three goals in the final 15 minutes brought Blackburn back from the brink of humiliation. Instead it was the Addicks whose heads were hanging as, with the crowd howling their derision, they trudged from the field.
When Danny Murphy scored shortly after the interval to give the home side a two-goal lead their progress seemed assured, but they could not cast off the fragility which is cursing them in the league.
A scrappy goal from Shefki Kuqi started the comeback, a wonderful curling effort from David Thompson completed it and with two minutes remaining David Bentley earned the visitors a memorable win.
Charlton had every reason to look back with wistful longing to their last match in this competition.
When they beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in late October they were second in the league, but if they were then bursting with confidence that has since evaporated. Four successive defeats have followed - one at Blackburn - with their previously prolific forward Darren Bent, who scored his ninth goal of the season against Chelsea, mislaying his form since.
The two sides' commitment to the competition was reflected in their line-ups, both sides were at full strength with Murphy, dropped for Saturday's defeat at Aston Villa, restored to the Charlton side.
Charlton made the early running and they eventually broke the deadlock eight minutes from the interval when, after a scrappy build-up down the right, Murphy found Johansson inside the area and Darren Ambrose arrived to lash his shot into the net from six yards.
The home side could have extended their lead within seconds of the restart but after Murphy's excellent pass released Luke Young his cross was just too high for Bent and poorly controlled by Ambrose at the far post.
Ambrose had a fine chance to extend the lead in the 49th minute but his shot was too close to Friedel. In the following minute Murphy did score, shaping as if to pass to Ambrose but instead running straight through the defence, drawing the goalkeeper before finishing with aplomb.
Blackburn dominated from then on and Bellamy was immediately more at ease when Kuqi was introduced to partner him in attack. Within two minutes of the Finn's arrival the pair combined to restore Blackburn's hope. Six minutes later Thompson completed the comeback but the best was still to come as Bentley struck for the winner.
Guardian Service
CHARLTON: Kiely, Young (Spector 70), El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Powell (Bothroyd 89), Johansson (Hughes 79), Kishishev, Murphy, Smertin, Ambrose, Bent. Subs not used: Myhre, Thomas. Goals: Ambrose 37, Murphy 50. Booked: Smertin
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Todd, Gray, Emerton (Kuqi 73), Savage (Thompson 63), Reid, Pedersen, Bentley (Mokoena 90), Bellamy. Subs not used: Enckelman, Matteo. Goals: Kuqi 75, Thompson 81, Bentley 88. Booked: Reid, Bentley and Bellamy.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire)
