Premier League Charlton were given a real scare by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough but they came through to book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Winger Dennis Rommedahl scored twice to give the Addicks a seemingly comfortable 3-1 half-time lead only for Paul Heckingbottom's second header of the match in the 61st minute to give the Championship side hope.

Rommedahl had opened the scoring in the 13th minute only for left-back Heckingbottom to nod home from close range, although further goals for Matt Holland and the Denmark international to - eventually - see Charlton through.

It ended a run of four consecutive away defeats for Alan Curbishley's side and ended a sequence of eight losses in 10 matches.

And having gone out to Championship opposition the previous two seasons it will have been a welcome relief.

Curbishley left out midfielder Danny Murphy, who had been struggling with a hamstring injury, dropped England right-back Luke Young to the bench.

Wednesday made four changes with young Irishman Barry Corr, Paul Heckingbottom and Chris Brunt coming in with goalkeeper David Lucas made his first appearance since November 1 having recovered from a knee surgery.

The visitors started brightly and created two half-chances in the opening six minutes.

First, Bryan Hughes' fizzing left-wing cross just evaded Darren Bent, with Heckingbottom happy to concede a corner from Rommedahl's follow-up.

Then Shaun Bartlett headed Kishishev's pass back into the path of Bent and he unleashed a volley from 25 yards but it was not good enough to trouble Lucas.

Wednesday's first chance came in the 12th minute when right-winger Richie Partridge picked out Corr at the far post but he failed to get a significant connection on his header.

And the home side were made to pay seconds later when Rommedahl found himself with a ridiculous amount of space in the penalty area and made his sidefoot finish past Lucas look easy.

But the Owls responded almost immediately when Graham Coughlan headed Brunt's 17th-minute right-wing corner back across goal for Heckingbottom to nod in from close range.

Parity lasted 10 minutes however as Hughes broke down the left and clipped a pass into the inside-left channel from where the onrushing Charlton captain Matt Holland calmly slotted home left-footed.

However, Charlton gave themselves a two-goal cushion just before half-time when Holland muscled his way past a couple of challenges before crossing for Bent to lay the ball on to the unmarked Rommedahl to score his second.

Two-goal winger Rommedahl was replaced at the start of the second half by Darren Ambrose but that, and the rain which had arrived during the interval, would have done little to lift the home side's mood.

Glenn Whelan's drive from the edge of the penalty area three minutes into the half forced the previously unemployed Thomas Myhre into a good save down to his right but the resulting corner came to nothing.

Wednesday, to their credit, continued to try to play football and Burton O'Brien was only marginally wide of the far post when a short free-kick was played to him just outside the penalty area.

They were rewarded in the 61st minute when a long Brunt cross from the left was headed down by Richard Wood and full-back Heckingbottom popped up unmarked in the six-yard area to register his second headed goal of the match.

In the final 20 minutes Wednesday mounted a concerted effort for the equaliser but they struggled to find that crucial final touch.

Corr's curling left-foot effort went just the wrong side of Myhre's right-hand post in the closing minutes and with it went Wednesday's chance of a replay.

Bent sealed it when he outpaced the defence to score Charlton's fourth with three minutes to go.

Teams:

Sheff Wed Lucas, Heckingbottom, Coughlan, Simek, Wood, Whelan, O'Brien, Brunt, Partridge (Bullen 76), Corr, Tudgay.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Diallo, Rocastle, Thorpe.

Goals: Heckingbottom 16, 60.

Charlton Myhre, Hreidarsson, Powell (Perry 81), Spector, Fortune, Kishishev, Holland, Rommedahl (Ambrose 45), Hughes (Lisbie 77), Bent, Bartlett.

Subs Not Used: Andersen, Young.

Booked: Fortune.

Goals: Rommedahl 13, Holland 27, Rommedahl 44, Bent 87.

Att: 14,851

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).