The Vicarage Road pitch was in perfect condition for the match and the Watford groundstaff even watered it before the game and at half-time.

Chris Powell replaced the suspended Michael Morrison with Dorian Dervite and Ricardo Fuller came in for hamstring victim, Danny Haynes.

This was the last game that loanees Rob Hulse and Manny Frimpong were available for. During the course of the afternoon Leon Cort joined the list of hamstring victims and Powell also lost Lawrie Wilson with a broken nose. The manager will be busy on the recruitment front this week.

The Addicks put Monday afternoon’s training session to good use as they scored four goals. Powell had spotted that the Hornet’s were vulnerable to crosses and this was the route the Addicks used for all their goals.

Charlton started the brighter of the two teams but fell behind, against the run of play, after 11 minutes. After parrying a shot from Alex Geijo, Hamer may feel he should have done better when Daniel Pudil slotted the rebound home.

The Addicks restored parity after 34 minutes following a Johnnie Jackson right-wing corner. As the ball dropped in a crowded penalty area, Joel Ekstrand’s attempted clearance nestled in the back of Manuel Almunia’s net.

Three minutes later things got even better for the visitors. Cedric Evina went on a rampaging run down the left and delivered the perfect cross for Yann Kermorgant to head home.

Of Charlton previous 13 goals on the road, 12 had been scored in the second half so it was good to buck the trend.

The Addicks were pegged back seven minutes after the break when Dorian Dervite hauled Forestieri down. Almen Abdi despatched the penalty to Hamer’s right.

Midway thriught the half Watford took the lead for the second time through Alex Geijo, but their joy was short lived. Two minutes later, Ricardo Fuller showed great skill down the right, cut in and pulled the ball back to the six yard line. It was Nathaniel Chalobah who got the touch to concede the second own goal of the game and level things up at 3-3……and there were still 20 minutes left!

Twelve minutes from time Charlton sealed the win that got the New Year off to the perfect start. A right-wing corner by Dale Stephens was met by a bullet header from Jackson, which whistled past Almunia’s left hand.

The Addicks saw the game out safely with Jordan Cook – on for broken nose victim Wilson – doing sterling wotk down the right.

Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Cort (Taylor 86), Dervite, Evina; Wilson (Cook 79), Pritchard, Stephens, Jackson; Kermorgant, Fuller (Hulse 90).

Subs (not used): Button, Seaborne, Kerkar, Wright-Phillips.

Goals: Ekstrand 34 (own goal), Kermorgant 37, Chalobah 70 (own goal), Jackson 78.

Booked: Jackson 32 (handball), Wilson 57 (foul), Cook 90 (kicking ball away).

Watford: Almunia; Cassetti, Hoban, Ekstrand, Neuton, Pudil (Vydra 79); Abdi (Yeates 62), Chalobah, Murray (Deeney 82); Geijo, Forestieri.

Subs (not used): Bond, Nosworthy, Battocchio, Anya.

Goal: Pudil 11, Abdi 52 (pen), Geijo 68.

Booked: Forestieri 22 (handball), Neuton 60 (foul), Ekstrand 90 (foul).

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

Attn: 14,221. (1,520 Charlton)