Charlton Athletic ... 1 Middlesbrough ... 0 Charlton had last won at home so long ago that Wayne Rooney was probably in nappies at the time. So the ferocious cheer which greeted a victory that lifted Alan Curbishley's team off the bottom of the table was no surprise. Chris Powell celebrated as if the title was in the bag. After seven months without a win here, and four successive home defeats, who could blame him?
Jason Euell's early goal took Charlton to 15th place and they had much the clearer chances on an afternoon when Middlesbrough's passing and quality were not up to recent standards. Although Jonathan Greening hit a post late on, the visitors created next to nothing.
Anyone wondering whether Curbishley had reached the end of the line at The Valley was given an unequivocal answer. His players fought for everything and defended with determination.
The returns from injury of Scott Parker in midfield and Gary Rowett in a back three were important and Mark Fish, another long-term absentee, also showed his value in his second league start of the season.
Parker epitomised Charlton's controlled aggression and it was hard to find a home player who had not performed well. Euell was a handful and did more than his share of defensive duties, Robbie Mustoe was keen to prove a point against his former club and Claus Jensen was neat with his passing.
While Steve McClaren reflected on a "bad day at the office" and suggested a reality check might be useful after all the praise heaped on his side, the pressure on Curbishley may ease. It is unthinkable he would have been sacked if his team had stayed bottom.
"I have been here 11 years and I'm not immune to that," he said. "The stakes are very high, perhaps the highest they have ever been. All managers are under intense, unhealthy pressure. It's a fact of life and you can't ignore it."
McClaren need not worry about dismissal but this will not have helped his mood after a miserable week with England. His team found it hard to establish control in the face of Charlton's relentless running, did not help themselves with a formation that gave them only three in midfield for most of the game to their opponents' five, and their much-vaunted forwards were quiet.
It was somehow typical that Charlton, after one goal in six matches, took the lead inside five minutes and against opponents who had kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premiership. Middlesbrough repeatedly looked uncomfortable at set-plays and Euell headed in from Jensen's free-kick.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Robinson, Fish, Rufus, Rowett, Powell, Mustoe (Young 79), Jensen, Parker (Kishishev 78), Euell, Bartlett. Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Johansson, Fortune. Booked: Bartlett. Goals: Euell 5.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Stockdale (Cooper 68), Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue, Geremi, Boateng, Job, Greening, Maccarone (Marinelli 68), Nemeth (Whelan 68). Subs Not Used: Crossley, Wilkshire. Booked: Stockdale, Whelan, Boateng.
Referee: N Barry
