John Gregory's appointment as the new Derby manager looks imminent after he watched his prospective new employers stumble to another defeat against Charlton at The Valley.

The former Aston Villa boss, who had five hours of talks with the relegation-threatened Rams earlier, saw the midlanders put in an energetic first-half display, which included a brilliant Malcolm Christie run which almost resulted in a memorable goal.

Gregory, dressed in a smart beige overcoat, seemed pleased with what he had seen of Derby in the opening period, judging by the way he was chatting and laughing with those around him in the directors' box at half-time.

After the break, the standard of football unfortunately never really improved above mediocre.

Gregory had already left by the time Chris Bart-Williams' inch-perfect 20-yard free-kick on 79 minutes crept inside the near post to leave the Rams with just 14 games to save their top-flight status.

It was a glorious evening for midfielder Bart-Williams, who scored his first goal for the club just after completing a free transfer after being frozen out at Nottingham Forest.

County caretaker coach Billy McEwan took charge of his relegation battlers for what could be the last time without suspended duo Luciano Zavagno and Francois Grenet.

Charlton - in 10th place in the Barclaycard Premiership, but dumped out of the FA Cup by Walsall on Saturday - had midfielder Scott Parker back in the starting XI after a ban. Claus Jensen (knee) and Mark Fish (stomach bug) both missed out.

Derby made a positive start, with captain Fabrizio Ravanelli first crossing for Pierre Ducrocq to thump a half-volley two feet over the angle of post and bar - and the French midfielder then let fly with an ambitious 35-yard drive which home goalkeeper Dean Kiely gathered uncomfortably.

But it was Charlton who almost opened the scoring when Parker's trickery deep inside the County penalty box won him space to square the ball along the six-yard line. John Robinson tried to force it into the net, but the visitors' defence scrambled clear.

Addicks frontman Jason Euell stretched to reach a deep cross from Graham Stuart just after the half-hour, but his eight-yard header squirted narrowly wide of Andy Oakes' right-hand post.

Derby's best chance so far came when home defender Jon Fortune nodded a misjudged back-header goalwards - and Kiely had to gather the ball under his bar.

County striker Christie ripped the Charlton backline apart with a mesmerising run on the stroke of half-time, but Kiely raced from goal to save with his legs.

Charlton started promisingly after the break, with Stuart's 10-yard drive crucially blocked by Darryl Powell.

Then Chris Powell's curling cross needed a firm palm away by Oakes from the top corner of his goal.

A fine Robinson cross in the 52nd minute was begging to be smacked into the net, but Johansson could not control the ball and fired over the top.

The Finnish international striker also hoisted a curler just over the bar as the hour mark approached.

And his strike partner Euell looked increasingly dangerous as he drifted into space on the right wing and delivered two smart crosses.

However, the pattern of play generally mirrored the first half, with midfielders on both sides unable to supply a killer ball to give the forwards a clean chance of clinching victory.

Charlton substitute Kevin Lisbie flashed a header across goal within two minutes of entering the fray, before Bart-Williams finally broke the deadlock with 11 minutes left.

Youl Mawene pulled back Euell just outside the box on the left and Bart-Williams curled a precise free-kick over the defensive wall and inside the near post.

Teams

Charlton: Kiely, Konchesky, Costa, Fortune, Powell, Bart-Williams, Parker (Svensson 79), Stuart, Robinson, Euell (Kishishev 84), Johansson (Lisbie 71).

Subs Not Used: Ilic, Brown.

Booked: Stuart.

Goals: Bart-Williams 79.

Derby: Oakes, Mawene, Riggott, Higginbotham, Jackson, Boertien, Valakari, Powell, Ducrocq (Kinkladze 85), Christie, Ravanelli.

Subs Not Used: Grant, Carbonari, Morris, Bolder.

Booked: Riggott, Mawene.

Att: 25,387

Ref: D Pugh (Bebington).