Sven-Goran Eriksson came to The Valley to watch wonder-kid Wayne Rooney but left before the 17-year-old's arrival as a substitute four minutes from time.

And the England boss also missed Kevin Lisbie's late, late winner for Charlton, the strike that finally inspired Everton chief David Moyes to release his prodigious young talent from the bench.

Even in the time allowed, he might have saved the Toffees with a turn and shot similar to the one that carved his reputation as the coming young man against David Seaman and Arsenal a few short months ago.

This time his cracking shot just cleared the crossbar, and Charlton hung on to a hard-earned advantage to continue a run that now shows just one defeat in 14 league outings.

In truth, Everton deserved a share of the spoils - and looked like getting it when American marksman Brian McBride fired his fourth goal in five games on the end of a cracking five-man move.

But Lisbie, who had looked offside when Charlton when ahead through Bulgarian Radostin Kishishev on 18 minutes, settled it after a series of blunders by both sides just before Rooney's arrival.

Some basic lack of ball-control on a slick surface produced an ebb and flow about the game early on before Charlton went ahead with a contentious effort by right-back Kishishev - his second in four games.

He could hardly miss after Shaun Bartlett's shot was deflected to him just six yards from a gaping goal but Everton were clearly distracted by Lisbie standing in a blatant offside position in the build up which was led by Claus Jensen's clever advance down the left.

Referee Jeff Winter obviously decided Lisbie was not active or interfering in the move although Wright, whose view must have been obstructed by the striker's presence, would almost certainly dispute that theory.

And having awarded the goal, Winter raced to intercept the furious Stubbs before the Everton defender could confront a linesman. There was even more anguish to come for the former Bolton and Celtic man, though.

Everton were still muttering complaints over the goal when the slippery Jensen turned Alessandro Pistone inside out before firing an angled shot which Wright flicked away for a corner at full stretch.

Jensen tested Wright again with a cute shimmy and shot and within seconds Dean Kiely was required to come out smartly at the other end and save with his feet from Tomasz Radzinski who was sent clear by Thomas Gravesen's neat pass.

Parker's graft and Jensen's craft gave Charlton a midfield edge and they would have had the proceedings wrapped up by half-time with steadier finishing by Lisbie and Jason Euell.

Wright distinguished himself in front of Eriksson with a brave smothering embrace of the ball at Parker's feet following a slick triangle of passes between the midfielder, Euell and Lisbie which ripped open Everton's defence.

And there was an alarming post-script to the first half for the Merseysiders when the luckless Stubbs was stretchered off after a fearsome collision with Parker as he raced on to Gravesen's squared free kick and shot wide.

Eriksson must also have been impressed by Parker's belligerent ability but not by the tackle that felled Stubbs.

Even so, Everton set about the second half with an urgency and McBride's strike which came from a clever final ball by Chinese midfielder Li Tie, looked to have extended their unbeaten run to four games.

But Li Tie, in trying to mop up a piece of poor control by Euell, only managed to present the ball to Charlton sub Jonatan Johansson who smartly set up Lisbie for a well-taken winner.

Teams

Charlton: Kiely, Rufus, Fish, Fortune, Kishishev, Parker, Euell, Jensen (Konchesky 86), Powell, Bartlett (Johansson 67), Lisbie.

Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Bart-Williams, El Khalej.

Goals: Kishishev 19, Lisbie 83.

Everton: Wright, Pistone, Stubbs (Yobo 45), Weir, Unsworth (Rooney 85), Gemmill (Campbell 89), Li Tie, Gravesen, Naysmith, Radzinski, McBride.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Carsley.

Booked: Li Tie.

Goals: McBride 69.

Att: 26,623

Ref: J Winter (Cleveland).