It is a good job that Paul Robinson has broad shoulders because for the next four weeks Leeds United's hopes of a successful season will rest upon them.

Robinson was called off the bench in the 71st minute when Nigel Martyn injured his groin, and will now play in a series of crucial games.

While Martyn recovers, Leeds play Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool, Milan and Chelsea. They also travel to Besiktas for a potentially volatile Champions League encounter. But Robinson, with just five first-team appearances behind him before Saturday, was not fazed.

"The lads have just made me aware of it in the dressing room," he said. "But if you want to play for Leeds you have got to play in these sort of games."

The England Under-21 goalkeeper played well , admittedly, beaten by Claus Jensen's speculative long shot but that was almost a freak occurrence for Charlton, who were two goals down at that stage.

As usual it was Robinson's under-21 team-mate Alan Smith who was at the thick of things. Sent off after scoring against Finland on Tuesday, he could have gone again after a horrible lunge on Richard Rufus.

It was definitely a red card offence but curiously the referee Mike Dean chose to take no action. Rufus later limped off, reducing his side to 10 men.

The better side of the striker was seen in the 38th minute when he thumped in Mark Viduka's lay-off, left-footed. In the 73rd minute Smith pulled the ball back from the byline and Viduka flicked the ball into the top of the net with his heel. Four minutes into injury-time Smith's header set up Viduka for the third.

Leeds United: Martyn (Robinson 71), Kelly, Harte, Woodgate, Mills, Burns, Bowyer, Bakke, Matteo, Viduka, Smith. Subs Not Used: Bridges, Huckerby, McPhail, Hay. Goals: Smith 38, Viduka 73, 90.

Charlton Athletic: Kiely, Konchesky (Shields 77), Powell, Rufus, Brown, Stuart, Kinsella, Jensen, Robinson (MacDonald 69), Johansson, Lisbie (Salako 77). Subs Not Used: Ilic, Todd. Booked: Powell. Goals: Jensen 84.

Referee: M Dean (The Wirral).