Charlton strolled to their 12th successive league win in their charge towards the Premiership after lowly Walsall had shocked them with the opening goal at Bescot Stadium on Tuesday night.

Two goals each from top scorer Andy Hunt and skipper Mark Kinsella comfortably disposed of the Saddlers - who are still deep in relegation trouble.

Charlton always had the extra class in midfield through Kinsella and John Robinson and each time the Saddlers scored, the First Division leaders replied immediately with another goal.

At least Walsall managed a couple of goals against the best team in the division, which means Charlton keeper Dean Kiely is still two games short of the club record tally of 19 clean sheets.

Yet Walsall had stunned the runaway leaders with a goal in the 24th minute - Mark Robins ramming in his eighth goal of the season from the penalty spot after Graham Stuart had tripped Gabor Bukran.

But, before they had time to celebrate for long, the Saddlers were rocked by an equaliser within a minute, Robinson crossing to the far post where Hunt out-jumped home skipper Adrian Viveash to head home his 20th goal of the season.

And in the 33rd minute Hunt was there again to head in a cross from close-range, with the home defence in tatters.

Walsall tried to pull themselves together but conceded a dreadful third goal in stoppage time at the end of the first-half.

Bukran sent a dangerous back-pass through his own defence for Hunt to collect, knock back to Shaun Newton, and from his cross Kinsella headed firmly past James Walker.

In the second half Walsall showed more fight and in the 59th minute top scorer Michael Ricketts shot against the post when he should have scored.

Then in the 65th minute the Saddlers were back in the hunt, Michalis Vlachos climbing high to head in a corner from Pedro Matias.

But immediately, again within a minute, Charlton replied, Kinsella hammering in a Robinson cross for number four.

The margin of defeat would have been worse for Walsall had substitute Martin Pringle not missed a sitter for Charlton seven minutes from the end.

Walsall: Walker, Brightwell, Barras, Viveash, Padula, Wrack, Bukran (Larusson 46), Vlachos, Matias, Ricketts, Robins (Eyjolfsson 77).

Subs Not Used: Keates, Forrester, Roper.

Goals: Robins 24 pen, Vlachos 65.

Charlton: Kiely, Barness, Rufus, Brown, Powell, Newton, Kinsella, Stuart (Tiler 68), Robinson, Svensson (Pringle 76), Hunt.

Subs Not Used: Konchesky, Royce, Salako.

Goals: Hunt 25, 33, Kinsella 45, 66.

Att: 6,227

Ref: W Burns (Scarborough).