Everton were plunged into crisis by their fourth successive Premiership defeat.

Charlton were comprehensive winners with Graham Stuart, against his old club, putting them ahead at the break and a second half display of efficiency and organisation producing further strikes from Jason Euell and Paul Konchesky.

Walter Smith's side were jeered off after a shambolic display, the Goodison Park faithful steeling themselves now for yet another relegation battle.

With Smith angered by two outbursts in his native Denmark against the club from midfielder Thomas Gravesen, the injured star had at least got one thing right, Everton "haven't got enough money to build a decent team."

That is the root cause of the Goodison troubles. They are reduced to using old hands and players clearly not up to standard with no money to do much else.

Charlton, though, were not bothered about the ills of their hosts. They were organised and motivated and fully deserved the win.

Grim on a grey day, that was Everton as they found confident, sharp Charlton hard to contain. The South Londoners all too often exposed slow reacting defenders.

Steve Simonsen was in action from the off, blocking a Scot Parker deflection with his defenders static.

The only first-half trouble for Charlton's goalkeeper Dean Kiely came when Jesper Blomqvist got down the left and squared the ball back for Tomasz Radzinski, whose first timer from 10 yards was blocked by the Irish international.

That was the last involvement for Radzinski who had been doubtful before the game with a stomach strain that was clearly still troubling him.

After just 10 minutes the Canadian international was replaced by Duncan Ferguson, who is still some way short of match fitness after his ankle operation and was not a player boss Walter Smith wanted to have out on the pitch so early.

His lack of mobility was all too obvious, with Everton only really dangerous from set pieces.

Charlton went close on 25 minutes when Jorge Costa got to a Claus Jensen curling free kick before a flat-footed Abel Xavier and sent a header skimming the bar. It was to be the warning sign that Everton - and Xavier - failed to heed.

From Charlton's next attack they took the lead through Everton old boy Stuart on 29 minutes.

Jensen's ball deep into the box was reached first by Kevin Lisbie - again Xavier being slow to react - and with Simonsen out of position due to Xavier's lack of action, Stuart slid in on the far post to score.

Everton were made well aware of the crowd's increasing frustration, and that was not helped by a weak header across goal from Niclas Alexandersson and a shot well wide from a good position by the same player.

Gemmill, already booked, was lucky to stay on the pitch for a clattering challenge through the back of John Robinson's legs near the break, while Costa was then booked for a tackle from behind on Dave Unsworth a minute later, a foul less dangerous than the one Gemmill had got away with.

Charlton came out with the intent of grabbing a second to give themselves some breathing space, but they failed to take advantage of a string of early corners.

Everton were still clumsy in attack, and starting to rely on runs and breaks from Blomqvist, still way short of match fitness after his three years of injury anguish.

Ferguson did manage to get up in the box on 55 minutes to head down a Steve Watson cross, but Moore, as he fell, could only manage a snap shot that was deflected into Kiely's arms.

Everton were outplayed in midfield by Jensen, Robinson and Parker and when Robinson surged down the left, beating two men and cutting in from the by-line, only a deflection off Gary Naysmith saved the home side.

Stuart looked a class apart, pulling the strings, holding possession, and increasing the frustration of his former fans.

And when the Charlton skipper was taken off on 75 minutes with a slight leg injury, he got a standing ovation from Everton fans.

By then Charlton had taken an even greater grip on things on 67 minutes.

Robinson carried the ball down the left and pushed a neat ball into the path of Euell, one of three options in front of him, and the big striker strode on to crash a rising shot past Simonsen.

A minute later Gascoigne came off the bench for Alexandersson, a substitution the crowd had been insisting on for some time.

Idan Tal replaced a tiring Blomqvist, while Paul Konchesky came on for Stuart, and the Charlton substitute was to eventually smash home the third.

Tal, from long range, and Watson, both had efforts that went close, but it was all too late now for Everton. With six minutes left Chris Bart-Williams took over from Jensen, Charlton now content to hold what they had.

But they still found time to break upfield and take advantage of some more horrible defending, Konchesky crashing the ball home after head tennis on the edge of the box failed to clear the ball.

Teams

Everton: Simonsen, Watson, Xavier, Weir, Naysmith, Alexandersson (Gascoigne 69), Gemmill, Unsworth, Blomqvist (Tal 78), Moore, Radzinski (Ferguson 11).

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Stubbs.

Booked: Gemmill.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Fish, Costa, Powell, Jensen (Bart-Williams 86), Stuart (Konchesky 75), Parker, Robinson, Euell, Lisbie.

Subs Not Used: Ilic, Johansson, Fortune.

Booked: Costa, Lisbie, Young.

Goals: Stuart 29, Euell 68, Konchesky 88.

Att: 31,131

Ref: G Barber (Tring).