Portsmouth's survival hopes were dented at The Valley as Charlton staged a late comeback to snatch victory with goals from Bryan Hughes and Darren Bent.

Pompey had appeared to be coasting to a victory that would have pulled them further away of the relegation zone after Andres D'Alessandro's stunning first-half strike.

Charlton had offered very little in attack until Bent picked out Hughes for the equaliser after 76 minutes.

Suddenly the tables were turned and after Darren Ambrose had been denied by a last-ditch challenge, Bent rifled home his 21st goal of the season.

All is not lost for Pompey, but their six-game unbeaten is over and manager Harry Redknapp will frustrated after they allowed victory to slip from their grasp.

In a poor game, Portsmouth were the better side until Charlton conjured up their equaliser.

They set the early tempo, testing a reshuffled Charlton defence with Benjani Mwaruwari an unpredictable but effective presence up front.

Mwaruwari burst into the Charlton box and defender Gonzalo Sorondo was forced to make a smart challenge as Richard Hughes threatened down the right.

Charlton survived three consecutive Portsmouth corners as Thomas Myhre tipped Gary O'Neil's vicious cross over the bar and Mwaruwari could not find the space to turn and shoot.

Charlton worked just one opening in the first half when Bryan Hughes's long-range shot was blocked and Matt Holland scuffed the rebound.

Otherwise, they were looking to pick out Darren and Marcus Bent with long diagonal balls from midfield and with little success.

Marcus Bent limped out of the action after 25 minutes holding his hamstring and was replaced up front by Jay Bothroyd.

Portsmouth continued to attack down the left flank and D'Alessandro picked out Matthew Taylor, who curled in a cross just out of Mwaruwari's reach.

Mwaruwari's jinking run and cross caused confusion in the Charlton six-yard box and Bryan Hughes stabbed the ball out for a corner - but was close to putting it in the corner of his own net.

All Portsmouth's pressure eventually paid off when D'Allesandro fired them into the lead with a spectacular effort five minutes before the interval.

The Argentina playmaker cut in from the right touch-line and unleashed a curling shot which left Myhre stranded as it flew into the top corner.

Charlton were booed off at the interval and looked little better after the break.

Curbishley, having already lost Jonathan Spector to a shoulder injury, made his final substitution replacing Jerome Thomas with Ambrose.

Sorondo then rose unmarked in the Portsmouth area to meet a corner but saw his header deflected just over the bar as Charlton's best chance of the game went begging.

A neat move on the edge of the Charlton area presented D'Alessandro with a chance for his second but he had to stretch for the shot and lifted it over the bar.

Myhre pulled off good save at the feet of Svetoslav Todorov, who was teed up after some clever work in the box once Mwaruwari.

Suddenly Charlton upped a gear and snatched an equaliser 16 minutes from time. Ambrose slid a pass through to Bent in the Portsmouth box and the England striker crossed for Hughes to apply the simple finish.

Charlton almost scored a second immediately after restart when Bent returned the favour to Ambrose, who jinked past two defenders before O'Neil dived in with a goal-saving tackle.

Portsmouth responded by replacing Todorov with Azar Karadas while Charlton went to three at back with skipper Herman Hreidarsson pushed up front.

And it was Hreidarsson's header that set up the winner for Bent, who latched onto the flick-on and rifled his shot past Dean Kiely to give Charlton the lead.

Mwaruwari fired over and Karadas then headed wide from less than six yards as Charlton held on to secure the points.

Teams

Charlton: Myhre, Spector (Sankofa 38), Sorondo, Hreidarsson,Powell, Kishishev, Holland, Hughes, Thomas (Ambrose 45),Marcus Bent (Bothroyd 25), Darren Bent.

Subs Not Used: Andersen, Euell.

Booked: Darren Bent.

Goals: Hughes 76, Darren Bent 83.

Portsmouth: Kiely, Priske, Primus, Pamarot, Taylor, O'Neil,Davis, Hughes (Routledge 84), D'Alessandro,Todorov (Karadas 78), Mwaruwari.

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Koroman.

Booked: Karadas.

Goals: D'Alessandro 40.

Att: 25,419

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).