Charlton Athletic 2 Newcastle Utd 0:They stamped their feet and rubbed their hands with desperate vigour to counter the icy winds that blasted here yesterday though it was reasonable to assume that it felt a great deal colder in Sheffield after this result.

Charlton have probably identified Sheffield United as the most vulnerable club outside the bottom three and Neil Warnock's side, now only four points in front, come to The Valley in a month's time.

Charlton's next two matches are against Wigan Athletic and Manchester City, so something less than a miracle is required to avoid relegation, but it would still be an astonishing achievement considering the club's managerial chaos and cut-adrift look for much of the season.

They have taken seven points and scored eight goals in their last three games. They have also conceded only two goals in that time and yesterday there was further evidence that their defence, alarmingly porous for many months, have finally got it together.

According to Alan Pardew, their manager, they need to win four of their remaining eight fixtures to avoid the drop. "We're making everyone a bit nervous," he said.

"Whoever plays us now is in for a tough game. If we keep having the moments of quality we had today we can do it."

Yesterday they were without Andy Reid and Ben Thatcher, both hamstrung, but the performance of Zheng Zhi, who scored one goal and was fouled for the penalty that brought the second, was more than adequate compensation.

Zheng, China's captain who was suspended for six months two years ago after attacking a referee, was making his first full appearance for the club as a loan signing and impressed with his vision and versatility.

"We thought of playing him at left-back today," said Pardew. He started yesterday wide on the right but moved up front in the second half. "I'm having English lessons but (it) is going very slowly," Zheng said.

"The Premier League is very popular in China and I watched a lot of games before I came." His best position, he says, is in the middle of midfield.

Pardew admitted that he made a mistake in playing Marcus and Darren Bent, who had both been receiving treatment. "We changed it in the second half and were a lot better," he said.

Zheng headed Charlton ahead on 53 minutes after Darren Bent's fierce free-kick from outside the area rebounded from the crossbar. The second goal came in the 88th minute when Nolberto Solano nudged the rampaging Zheng for Jerome Thomas's penalty.