Top-of-the-table Charlton recorded their fifth league win in succession thanks to Graham Stuart's first-half winner.

Having reached the top of the table with a midweek success at Wolves, Charlton were not about to relinquish that lofty position.

But manager Alan Curbishley would have been far from happy with his stuttering performance.

The Addicks have their eyes firmly set on an immediately return to the Premiership and set about extending their impressive run in positive fashion.

The Valley faithful did not have to wait too much longer for Stuart's opener.

Mark Kinsella floated over a left-wing cross in the 13th minute which appeared to be drifting out of play.

Shaun Newton arrived at the far post to hook the ball back from an acute angle allowing Stuart to head powerfully home from 10 yards for his fifth league goal of the season.

Crewe had arrived with a dreadful away record having recorded just two wins on their travels.

Rodney Jack appears their one outlet and his pace caused problems for the Charlton defence on several occasions. Unfortunately all too often, his efforts go without reward.

Crewe's only worthwhile first-half move ended with Mark Rivers falling under a Richard Rufus challenge but referee Mr Pearson waved away any penalty protests

Charlton continued to dominate with Kinsella and Martin Pringle both going close before Kinsella proved his real worth to the side with a positive run in the 41st minute.

He collected the ball five yards outside the Crewe penalty area and left two defenders in his wake before driving in a low shot which Jason Kearton in the Crewe goal acrobatically turned aside for a corner.

The second half took much the same pattern with another Kinsella effort, this time from 30 yards, forcing Kearton into another save in the 52nd minute.

The Charlton crowd grew restless as Crewe's counter attacks grew more frequent and dangerous.

In the 75th minute, Jack's pace again got him into another decent position. This time his clever pull back found substitute Paul Tait but his firm shot was well blocked by Rufus.

A succession of second-half corners failed to help Charlton secure a second goal which would have killed the match and, in the dying moments, Curbishley would have been delighted to see Neil Sorvel's 25-yard effort flash narrowly wide.

Teams:

Charlton: Kiely, Shields, Brown, Rufus, Konchesky, Newton (Salako 72), Stuart, Kinsella, Robinson (Todd 88),Pringle, Hunt.

Subs Not Used: Barness, Ilic, MacDonald.

Goals: Stuart 13.

Crewe: Kearton, Lightfoot, S. Wright (Tait 74), Macauley, D. Wright, Bignot, Street (Cramb 86), Lunt, Sorvel, Jack,Rivers.

Subs Not Used: Ince, Foran, Unsworth.

Booked: Rivers.

Att: 19,125

Ref: R Pearson (Peterlee).