Charlton beat the New Year freeze and warmed up the biggest Valley crowd for 25 years with a thrilling 3-2 victory against Ipswich today, thanks to a combination of defensive blunders and attacking skill.

Ipswich were on a roll before today, with three wins in Christmas week, but their revival broke down due to two mistakes from goalkeeper Matteo Sereni.

After just 53 seconds, Town's Marcus Bent was allowed time and space to head home after a Hermann Hreidarsson knock-down - and just four minutes later Bent brilliantly lobbed Dean Kiely from 20 yards to put his side 2-0 up.

But the Addicks hit back with John Robinson's run-of-the-mill shot bemusing Sereni and Scott Parker's hooked effort also beating the goalkeeper.

Alan Curbishley's men delighted the majority of the 25,893 crowd by grabbing the winner on the hour, when Sereni pulled off a fine save from Kevin Lisbie's header - but Jason Euell rammed the ball rebound home from close range.

Marcus Stewart was not fit enough to make his comeback after breaking his jaw in a mid-November training-ground collision with team-mate Pablo Counago.

For the Addicks, Chris Powell assumed the captain's armband after Graham Stuart failed to recover from his knee injury.

Ipswich got off to a flyer as they stunned the home crowd by storming into the lead from their first attack in the first minute.

Mark Venus' free-kick from the right wing was headed downwards by Hreidarsson at the far post - and Bent gleefully nodded the bouncing ball into the bottom corner of Kiely's net.

And Charlton were left shell-shocked just four minutes when later when a Jim Magilton through-ball caught left-back Powell out of position and Bent brilliantly chipped Kiely from the right angle of the penalty area, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Things almost got even worse for Alan Curbishley's side after seven minutes, but referee Uriah Rennie was lenient and only showed Robinson a yellow card after a crude tackle on Gaardsoe that could easily have resulted in his dismissal.

The Addicks hit back with a great Paul Konchesky free-kick which Sereni did well to push round the post.

However, the goalkeeper was unable to keep out Robinson's 18-yard drive in the 17th minute, when he appeared to be off-balance and fell while trying to save the midfielder's shot, which made the score 2-1.

Town's Thomas Gaardsoe saw his half-blocked shot squirm a foot wide, while at the other end, the net was soon bulging again after another blunder from Sereni.

Luke Young's free-kick caused confusion in the visitors' penalty area and Parker awkwardly hooked a shot goalwards that bounced over Sereni, who had gone to ground, and over the line.

That levelled the score at 2-2 after 32 minutes of thrilling action.

Bent almost secured his hat-trick with a fine curling shot from 20 yards after Hreidarsson's powerful charge forward - but the ball smacked into Kiely's left post and rebounded to safety.

However, on the hour the home side took the lead for the first time when Euell whacked the ball home from two yards after a superb Sereni save from Lisbie's header.

The goalkeeper did well to stop the first effort, which came from a Robinson cross, but was unable to keep out Euell's follow-up.

Sereni made a great save from a 25-yard Claus Jensen free-kick as the match entered the final furlong, while Finidi George lashed a 12-yard shot a yard wide at the other end.

Alun Armstrong also fired wide from close range after a George cross.

Teams:

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Fish, Costa, Powell, Robinson, Jensen (Johansson 90), Parker (Bart-Williams 83), Konchesky, Lisbie (Bartlett 86), Euell.

Subs Not Used: Ilic, Fortune.

Booked: Robinson, Young.

Goals: Robinson 16, Parker 32, Euell 61.

Ipswich: Sereni, Makin, Gaardsoe, Venus, Hreidarsson, George, Magilton (Reuser 67), Holland, Clapham (Peralta 67), Marcus Bent, Armstrong.

Subs Not Used: Branagan, Naylor, Wright.

Booked: Hreidarsson, Venus.

Goals: Marcus Bent 1, 5.

Att: 25,893

Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).