There were plenty of well known faces at The Valley for the game, Curbs was in attendeance, as were Les Ferdinand – presumably watching Jon Obika – and Pat Rice.

A smiling Jim Davidson emerged from the shop with a pair of cushions for his car.

Chris Powell tried another new shape, this time 4-3-3 though it frequently became 4-4-2 and it was the more orthodox formation that was used after the break when the Addicks spent long periods camped in Burnley’s half.

Powell made five changes from the team that lost to Forest last week. As well as the suspended Kermorgant, Chris Solly and Dale Stephens were unavailable because of injuries, and Ben Hamer and Scott Wagstaff dropped to the bench.

In came Jon Obika, Lawrie Wilson, Danny Haynes, David Button and Ricardo Fuller. Fuller was the central member of the forward trio, with Obika to his right and Haynes to the left.

Charlton had far more of the game than they did a week ago, though the visitors did have an eleventh minute effort ruled out for offside.

A moment of real quality two minutes before the break settled the game. Charlie Austin, so often a thorn in Charlton’s side, cut in from the left and thundered in an unstoppable long range effort.

On the hour mark, Wilson skipped past a defender on the right and delivered the perfect cross for Haynes to head down to Lee Grant’s left hand side. The Burnley keeper was able to push the ball round the post.

Three minutes later, Danny Green and Callum Harriott were intriduced in place of Obika and Dorian Dervite. The changes gave the Addicks a more balanced look and a Green corner after 78 minutes nearly brought the hosts level. The delivery from the left was headed on by Fuller but Morrison was unable to cobvert from close in.

The final minutes of the game resembled an attack versus defence training session but the Addicks could not break through.

Next week’s games at Peterborough and Huddersfield now assume added significance. Peterborough’s tails will be up after a fine win at Blackburn. Having started the day bottom of the league, ten points adrift of Charlton, Posh will cut the gap to just four if they can beat the Addicks on Tuesday.

Charlton: Button; Wilson, Cort, Morrison, Wiggins; Pritchard, Dervite (Harriott 63), Jackson; Obika (Green 63), Fuller, Haynes.

Subs (not used): Hamer, Taylor, Evina, Hughes, Wagstaff.

Burnley: Grant; Trippier, Shackell, Long, Lafferty; Bartley, Edgar, Kacaniklic (Stock 88); Stanlislas (Ings 73), Austin (Vokes 85), Paterson.

Subs (not used): Jensen, Mills, Treacy, O’Neil.

Goal: Austin 43.

Booked: Austin (foul), Lafferty 74 (foul), Vokes 85 (throwing ball away), Paterson 90 (foul).

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attn: 20,065 (921 Burnley).