Old-fashioned FA Cup-ties is the description normally applied to such rollicking evenings but at Middlesbrough it is now a misnomer - excitement and entertainment are the latest thing on Teesside.
In cup games at least, Middlesbrough are can be increasingly relied upon to leave you breathless. This was their 22nd such match of a bizarre season and the victory takes Steve McClaren's side into a second semi-final.
Second-half goals from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka in the space of four minutes - sandwiching a Gareth Southgate own goal - ensured that Charlton's spirited challenge was overcome and it is Boro who meet West Ham United at Villa Park on Sunday week. Three days before that Middlesbrough travel to Steaua Bucharest for the Uefa Cup semi-final first leg.
Their season is climaxing just right and in Hasselbaink and Viduka, they have two strikers running into form. Their composure contrasted with Charlton's excitable attempts in an opening blitz from the visitors that should have yielded them a lead before Fabio Rochemback scored.
Bryan Hughes did provide a quick equaliser but having been part of six 0-0s recently, Alan Curbishley's team were undermined by sloppy defending.
Southgate, Hasselbaink Stewart Downing and Viduka all returned to the Middlesbrough starting line-up. Once again the top-scorer Yakubu Aiyegbeni was on the bench.
Initially at least it was the changes made by Curbishley that affected the game more. Darren Bent and Shaun Bartlett were back, so too was Dennis Rommedahl. and Hughes.
Within five minutes Bent, Bartlett and Rommedahl had made an impact. Unfortunately for them, in the first five minutes Mark Schwarzer earned his wages for the month.
Charlton finally proved they could convert an opening but it had to be an equaliser after their goalkeeper Thomas Myhre had allowed a 30-yard free-kick from Rochemback to evade him.
Rochemback struck the ball well, and Myhre may have been partially unsighted, but no manager could be happy with his goalkeeper in such circumstances.
Charlton responded immediately. Jonathan Spector took a long throw from the right and Bent outjumped Southgate to nod the ball into the path of Hughes. From 12 yards out he met the ball on the volley and guided it into the bottom corner.
Just over 13 minutes, George Boateng should have made it 2-1 with a shot from the edge of the area, but 10 minutes later James Morrison rectified that.
Again Charlton could not be satisfied with their role. As Hasselbaink and Viduka bundled their way through, Charlton twice had the opportunity to clear. Finally it ran to Morrison, who slid it under Myhre.
It was to be three minutes into the second half before Myhre was again involved, stopping Hasselbaink once more, but following a spell of relative calm Southgate seemed to be first to most things, not Bent or Bartlett.
Charlton got one back but sadly for their fans Viduka and Hasselbaink ruined their night.
Guardian Service
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Riggott, Southgate, Taylor, Morrison, Boateng, Rochemback, Downing, Viduka, Hasselbaink (Ehiogu 80). Subs Not Used: Jones, Doriva, Maccarone, Yakubu. Booked: Hasselbaink. Goals: Rochemback 11, Morrison 26, Hasselbaink 73, Viduka 77.
CHARLTON: Myhre, Spector, Hreidarsson, Perry, Powell, Rommedahl, Kishishev (Euell 78), Holland (Thomas 59), Hughes, Darren Bent, Bartlett (Bothroyd 61). Subs Not Used: Andersen, Sorondo. Booked: Perry. Goals: Hughes 13, Southgate 76 og.
Referee: Philip Dowd (England).
