Dion Dublin's late header gave Leicester a shock win at Charlton and booked their place in the last eight of the FA Cup.

When the Foxes last played at The Valley last May, they were relegated from the Premiership but today a much-changed outfit showed plenty of fighting spirit.

It may have come too late for a successful promotion bid this season, but it certainly makes them a danger in this competition.

Nikos Dabizas had headed the Foxes into a deserved lead after 38 minutes, only for Shaun Bartlett's near-post flick to level the score in first-half stoppage time.

Addicks keeper Dean Kiely hacked Dabizas' close-range effort off the line during the second half and, just as the tie looked to set for a replay, Dublin popped up in the six-yard box to meet a corner and head the Foxes into the last eight.

Leicester were sporting a dull beige away strip rather than their traditional royal blue, and their efforts in the opening exchanges were just as uninspiring.

Both sides, though, were finding it difficult to put any decent moves together given the over-crowding in midfield with each team deploying a lone striker.

In fact, almost 12 minutes had elapsed before the first real chance of the match. The ball was swung into the Charlton box from the left, Dublin flicked it on and had Stephen Hughes made decent contact, the visitors could have been ahead.

Charlton had seen off lower league opposition in both their previous outings in this season's competition, but today were struggling to get a foothold in the match.

And they almost paid for not clearing their lines when Alan Maybury flashed a half-volley across goal following a neat exchange with skipper Danny Tiatto on the edge of the penalty area.

Finally, the home supporters had something to get excited about after 32 minutes.

Talal El Karkouri send a long ball up the field, which found Bryan Hughes in a central position just outside the Leicester box. He struck it well first time, and Ian Walker produced a decent one-handed save to keep the scores level.

It was Leicester, though, who took the lead on 38 minutes. Joey Gudjonsson sent a deep free-kick into the Charlton area. Mark de Vries and Hermann Hreidarsson jumped for it, but got nowhere near the ball, and Dabizas nipped in at the far post to head past Kiely.

Charlton tried to up the tempo of their game after going behind, but despite some more positive approach play, the hosts still lacked ideas in the final third.

Then, in first-half stoppage time, the Addicks were level. Paul Konchesky found space to cross from the left by-line, and Bartlett arrived ahead of Dabizas at the near post to flick the ball into the far corner with the deftest of touches.

Charlton made one change at the break, with Jerome Thomas replacing Dennis Rommedahl on the wing.

It was Leicester, though, who almost snatched the lead back at the start of the second half.

Maybury got clear down the right flank and, from the byline, whipped the ball into the six-yard box where it was met by Keith Gillespie, but his header flew wide.

After 57 minutes, Thomas sent the ball into the danger area from the right. However, Dabizas did just enough to put Bryan Hughes off as the midfielder could not get a decent connection on the cross, and stabbed the ball well wide from six yards.

Despite their newly-found freedom on the ball, Alan Curbishley's men were unable to really trouble the Leicester rearguard.

Charlton were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, some 25 yards out and just right of centre following a handball by Stephen Hughes. Danny Murphy struck it straight into the wall.

With 20 minutes left, Jonatan Johansson came on for Jonathan Fortune as Curbishley shuffled his formation to play with two strikers, Konchesky moving to full-back and Hreidarsson to centre-back.

In the 79th minute, following a corner, Kiely somehow managed to keep out Dabizas' toe-poke at point-blank range with his feet.

El Karkouri then headed clear as de Vries rounded the keeper and crossed in front of an unguarded net.

And just as the tie looked to set for a replay, Dublin popped up in the six-yard box to meet a corner from the left and head the Foxes into the quarter-finals with just seconds remaining.

Teams

Charlton Kiely, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune (Johansson 70), Hreidarsson, Rommedahl (Thomas 45), Murphy, Holland, Hughes (Euell 79), Konchesky, Bartlett.

Subs Not Used: Andersen, Perry.

Booked: Thomas.

Goals: Bartlett 45.

Leicester Walker, Maybury, Dabizas, Dublin, Stewart, Gillespie, Hughes (Nalis 82), Williams, Gudjonsson, Tiatto, de Vries (Connolly 85).

Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Canero, Heath.

Booked: de Vries, Gillespie.

Goals: Dabizas 38, Dublin 90.

Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).