Nobody expects a goalless draw at Southampton with the St Mary's team's leaky defence.

Their three-man attack came up woefully short and another home match slipped by without a victory to boost fading hopes of beating relegation.

Harry Redknapp went for broke with three up front, recalling James Beattie following injury and also midfielder Matt Oakley following 15 months out after a knee operation. But neither lasted the distance.

Right at the end of this post-Christmas hangover of a match Rory Delap volleyed over the top and captain Kevin Phillips caused rare panic in Charlton's defence with an overhead kick into the six yard box.

But his reward was a corner and Charlton were easily able to hold out.

In truth they might have had victory on a platter - their fourth in a row - and will be disappointed that they did not.

Charlton should have been cruising home on the back of early chances for Jerome Thomas, Shaun Bartlett and Matt Holland.

But Thomas could not steer Dennis Rommedahl's through pass past the brave Antti Niemi and Bartlett put his unopposed header onto the crossbar.

Holland had an opening almost as good, also unmarked when climbing for a header from a Danny Murphy free-kick but glancing it wide.

Even Danny Higginbotham seemed to try to help the Londoners. His diving header, which was meant to clear a cross, landed the ball into his own 'keeper's arms.

Higginbotham's own goal a couple of weeks ago wrecked Redknapp's chances of claiming a debut win.

So it was a good thing he looked suitably cool about it all and berated his colleagues instead for not closing down the opposition.

But after surviving an early battering Saints finally threatened a goal of their own in the 26th minute and the threat was from left-back Higginbotham .

A long throw on the left by Delap was helped on through the six-yard box to the far post where Higginbotham fired a shot that went between a defender's legs and was somehow blocked by 'keeper Dean Kiely.

Phillips claimed he was held back as he chased a through ball by Oakley to the edge of the area but referee Steve Dunn was unmoved.

Then Beattie fired a low, left-foot effort from just outside the area and Kiely had to get all his weight behind it.

Higginbotham cleverly cut out a Thomas cross which was heading for the unmarked Rommedahl 10 yards out.

And busy midfielder Delap was back in his own area to block a Murphy shot from Thomas' cross.

Oakley had slowly worked his way into the match on his comeback but exploded in first-half stoppage time, firing inches wide with a low 20-yard drive after Higginbotham's free-kick was not cleared.

Despite three Southampton substitutions, with Oakley, Peter Crouch and Beattie all replaced, the second half was practically a non-event.

Saints were clearly in danger of being over-run by Charlton's midfield quintet until Anders Svensson was sent on at the break for striker Crouch.

But Charlton stayed on top and it became a question of whether Danish ace Rommedahl could get around the back often enough to carry hopes of a goal for the Londoners.

He has had his problems in this first Premiership season but it will be interesting to see what he can achieve in time.

At least the Charlton threat was stable and appropriate of a team who had had won five of the previous seven games.

But Saints always sought inspiration and almost got it when Delap volleyed over with seven minutes left.

Teams

Southampton: Niemi, Cranie, Lundekvam, Jakobsson, Higginbotham, Telfer, Oakley (Prutton 61), Delap, Beattie (Ormerod 74), Phillips, Crouch (Anders Svensson 45).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Fernandes.

Booked: Prutton.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Rommedahl, Murphy, Holland, Kishishev, Thomas, Bartlett.

Subs Not Used: Andersen, Hughes, Euell, Jeffers, Konchesky.

Att: 31,195

Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).