Charlton's procession toward relegation from the Coca-Cola Championship continued despite a goalless draw with Preston.

The Addicks remain marooned at the foot of the table, some 14 points from safety with a maximum of just 21 available and could be down before Easter Sunday.

No side has won more home games than Preston this season but their away form has been poor to threaten their play-off hopes and neither side deserved to take all three points.

North End's midfield had an unfamiliar look with the surprise omission of captain Paul McKenna so winger Chris Sedgwick filled in in the middle.

And Alan Irvine's visitors missed the accurate distribution of their skipper as they too often wasted the ball.

Charlton manager Phil Parkinson has now won just six league games as manager of Hull and Charlton since leaving Colchester in 2006.

Irvine's side created the first moment of danger when striker Stephen Elliott collected a throw and, after beating Kelly Youga, flashed a low ball across the face of goal which evaded his team-mates.

Zheng Zhi then beat three men in midfield before playing a ball through which Tresor Kandol failed to read as both sides made tentative starts in a sombre atmosphere.

Elliott then teed up Ross Wallace for a long-range effort which was well blocked before Charlton captain Mark Hudson sent a header wide from a corner.

The hosts looked understandably short of confidence and every misplaced pass was met with jeers of derision from a crowd already contemplating trips to Leyton Orient and Walsall next season.

Teenage midfielder Jonjo Shelvey should make an impact in League One and came as close to anyone to breaking the deadlock when he headed onto the roof of the net.

Parkinson replaced winger Darren Ambrose at the break with Lloyd Sam coming on in his place and Zheng took less than a minute of the second half to force Andy Lonergan into his first save of the game with a skidding shot from the edge of the area.

Kandol then caused chaos with a powerful run as the hosts started superbly but a fine tackle by Youl Mawene halted the striker.

Shelvey and Wallace exchanged wild strikes as the half continued at a frantic pace that was in stark contrast to the opening period.

Wallace then picked out Jon Parkin with a superb cross but the hefty forward planted a header three yards wide of the far post.

The opening goal was looking more likely than ever to appear and Therry Racon spurned the clearest opportunity with 20 minutes left.

Shelvey and Zheng created some space with a neat one-two and Racon burst into the area but shanked his shot high and wide.

Billy Jones came close to a last-minute own goal but his miscued header looped inches over.

Teams

Charlton Elliot, Butterfield (Dickson 76), Ward,Hudson (Holland 81), Youga, Ambrose (Sam 46), Racon, Shelvey,Zhi, Bailey, Kandol.

Subs Not Used: Randolph, Burton.

Preston Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St. Ledger, Nolan,Whaley (Brown 71), Sedgwick, Carter, Wallace, Parkin, Elliott.

Subs Not Used: Neal, Chilvers, Mellor, Barton.

Att: 19,215

Ref: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).