West Ham's forgotten man Paul Kitson cracked a stunning hat-trick - his first goals for 20 months - in this sensational, thrill-a-minute London derby draw at Charlton last night.

And in surely the most exciting match of the season so far, Addicks frontman Jonatan Johansson levelled the scores in injury-time with an amazing overhead kick.

Kitson had stunned Charlton with a shock treble. First, he thundered home from 18 yards in the third minute, then he slid home a great Scott Minto cross after 29 minutes and, finally, tucked the ball home from three yards after comical defending by the Charlton.

But West Ham were also guilty of some shocking backline play. Jason Euell took advantage of a poor Christian Dailly header and Shaka Hislop's hesitation to level the scores at 1-1, and completed his brace when Tomas Repka surrendered possession inside his penalty area.

Johansson also scored, and after more Kitson heroics, the Hammers' ex-Addicks forward Jermain Defoe smacked home a sweet volley to put the visitors 4-3 up. But Johansson incredibly came up with his stoppage-time overhead kick to level at 4-4.

Kitson (30), starting his first West Ham match since August 2000, crashed home a fantastic third-minute opener. Paolo Di Canio clipped the ball inside to the forgotten forward, who thundered an 18-yard drive past goalkeeper Dean Kiely and into the net via the foot of the left post.

West Ham conceded a sloppy equaliser in the 21st minute, when their defence made a hash of a straightforward Mark Kinsella free-kick. Dailly could only flick the ball towards his own goal, and when Hislop hesitated and parried, Euell tapped in from four yards.

Euell grabbed his second after more slipshod defending. When Repka dallied on the edge of his penalty area. Johansson robbed him and squared for Euell to clip the ball past Hislop.

CHARLTON: Kiely, Powell, Young (Robinson 85), Fish, Brown, Konchesky, Parker (Bartlett 85), Kinsella, Jensen, Euell, Johansson. Subs Not Used: Roberts, Stuart, Fortune. Booked: Euell. Goals: Euell 21, 28, Johansson 51, 90.

WEST HAM: Hislop, Foxe, Repka, Dailly, Schemmel, Sinclair, Hutchison (Cole 63), Carrick, Minto (Lomas 62), Di Canio, Kitson (Defoe 78). Subs Not Used: James, Moncur. Booked: Minto, Schemmel. Goals: Kitson 3, 30, 64, Defoe 84.

Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).