Alan Curbishley got one over his old boss Jim Smith as Charlton climbed further up the Premiership table.

Their eighth league win at The Valley from 13 matches took them above London rivals Chelsea and into eighth place.

The Addicks, who had needed extra-time to beat non-league Dagenham in their FA Cup replay at the weekend, found Derby a much easier proposition.

In fact, the greatest surprise was that Matt Svensson and Scott Parker's goals were not added to.

Craig Burley did reply with a cheeky free-kick but the visitors offered little in response.

Curbishley, who played under veteran Smith at Birmingham, is now just four points away from the 40-mark which Charlton strove for on their return to the top flight.

While for Smith and Derby, their Premiership future will surely not be decided until the closing weeks.

It was a family affair in south-east London with Derby assistant boss Colin Todd facing up to his son, Charlton centre-back Andy.

Todd senior was introduced by Smith to help add steel to a woeful County defence earlier this season; Todd junior was reintroduced by Alan Curbishley following the 5-0 Boxing Day thrashing at West Ham.

The defender's presence in the side had led to them conceding just two goals in the four previous games and, on the evidence on show tonight, the midlanders' problems at the back far outweigh Charlton's.

Claus Jensen, fresh-legged and full of running having been excused the physical exertions of the epic victory over Dagenham, exercised control over the midfield on his return.

Charlton almost took the lead as early as the third minute through a Horacio Carbonari gaffe.

Graham Stuart whipped in a cross from the right flank and the Argentinian centre-back sliced an attempted clearance beyond Mart Poom and off the far post.

The hosts, inspired by Jensen's promptings, laid siege to Poom's goal throughout the first period and the keeper held a fierce Mark Fish drive after the centre-back strode forward to unleash from 20 yards.

The Estonian keeper almost dropped a clanger of his own moments later but was relieved to see a Svensson effort deflected around a post after flapping at Powell's seventh-minute cross.

Poom then turned over a Richard Rufus header as the pressure mounted but from the resulting corner the giant keeper was left helpless.

Jensen swung the ball in from the left and Svensson met it with his head at the near post to guide it into the net off a Derby defender on the line.

The Danish midfielder glanced a header wide following an exquisite one-two with Svensson as the Addicks searched for a second.

And it was only two stunning saves from Poom, in the space of 60 seconds, which prevented a 2-0 deficit.

First, a piece of trickery from Scott Parker ended with Poom flinging himself to his right to fist out a left-foot effort from 30 yards.

Then, a curling 25-yard shot from Jensen was tipped over the bar at full-stretch as the one-way traffic continued.

Relegation battlers Derby were lucky to survive the home side's onslaught and Svensson was inches away from a second in the 19th minute as Poom helplessly watched a delicate chip drift the wrong side of the post.

Poom then fumbled another long-range attempt from Jensen before gathering at the second time of asking.

And from nothing, and with their first attempt on goal, Derby somehow found an equaliser.

Parker was harshly adjudged to have fouled Burton 25 yards from Dean Kiely's goal and from the free-kick - with the keeper still arranging his defensive wall - Burley lifted the ball over the pack in front of him and into the right-hand corner.

Amazingly, Burley squandered a chance to take the lead for Derby when Kiely clattered into Malcolm Christie on the edge of the area.

Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot, despite the challenge appearing to have taken place just outside the box, and Kiely got away with a caution as a Charlton defender was goalside of the incident.

Burley stepped up to take the kick, a minute before the break, only for Kiely to dive and save to his right.

That spot-kick stop proved to be the Republic of Ireland international's last meaningful contribution, the foul on Christie causing him more damage than the forward, and Tony Caig, a recent signing from Blackpool, replaced him at the break.

Parker twice went close at the beginning of the second half, Poom holding a sidefooted shot at the end of a flowing move before the young midfielder flashed a shot across the face of goal.

He finally did regain the lead in the 61st minute but the goal, in truth, was derived from the vibrant Jensen's invention.

Seizing on a loose ball inside his own half, the £4million summer buy from Bolton strode 60 yards, beating two Derby defenders on the way to providing a shooting chance in the area.

Poom clawed away the effort at point-blank range only for Parker to follow-up and calmly pick his spot to beat a Derby defender on the line.

Danny Higginbotham threatened to offer an immediate riposte but watched his free-kick, awarded inside the area after another Christie burst was obstructed, arrowed past the upright.

Teams:

Charlton: Kiely (Caig 45), Fish, Rufus, Todd, Powell, Stuart, Parker (Brown 84), Jensen, Kishishev, Svensson (Lisbie 88), Bartlett.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Salako.

Booked: Kiely, Parker.

Goals: Svensson 8, Parker 61.

Derby: Poom, Riggott, Carbonari, Mawene (Bragstad 37), Delap, O'Neil, Burley, Powell, Higginbotham (Eranio 74), Burton, Christie.

Subs Not Used: Martin, Oakes, Bolder.

Booked: O'Neil.

Goals: Burley 35.

Att: 20,043

Ref: M Dean (The Wirral).