Charlton's predicament at the wrong end of the Barclays Premiership deepened tonight as Middlesbrough came from behind to record their first away league win of the season at The Valley.

Despite taking the lead through Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who scored against his former club, Alan Pardew's men were undone by some poor defending and a touch of class from the visitors.

Lee Cattermole finished a well-worked move to draw Boro level on the stroke of half-time, before a terrible blunder by Hermann Hreidarsson gifted them the lead just after the hour, Julio Arca slotting home from 12 yards.

A stunning effort from Aiyegbeni Yakubu settled matters with 22 minutes remaining as Pardew was left to contemplate his first home defeat - and the mountain his men must climb to retain their top-flight status tonight looks much steeper.

The new Addicks boss had called for the fans to get behind their side - and the hosts had made a bright start.

Dennis Rommedahl's run-and-cross from the right was knocked back down by Marcus Bent, but just too far ahead of Hasselbaink, who was arriving at the far post.

Charlton certainly looked more determined, with little quarter given in their challenges.

On 11 minutes, Hasselbaink, though, was cautioned by referee Mike Dean for a late and studs-high tackle on fellow Dutchman George Boateng.

Yakubu went down somewhat theatrically under the challenge of Souleymane Diawara, but hopeful appeals for a penalty were waived away.

The home side continued to press and Reid's snapshot took a deflection, which saw it spin up into the arms of keeper Mark Schwarzer.

On 21 minutes, there was a half-chance at the other end when a left-wing cross from Cattermole found Yakubu in the penalty box, but his glancing header lacked power.

Charlton took the lead on 27 minutes. A long ball upfield from Matt Holland was aimed towards Bent but came off the back of Emanuel Pogatetz's head and dropped into the right side of the penalty area.

Hasselbaink was on to it like a flash - driving an 18-yard shot into the ground and up over Schwarzer for only his fourth Charlton goal.

Boro then raised their own tempo, but were unable to make use of some positive build-up.

Rommedahl gave the ball away on the edge of the box and it needed a saving tackle from Diawara to prevent Mark Viduka from going clean through.

Boro eventually levelled in the final minute of the first-half.

After play had been allowed to continue following what looked like a foul on Reid by Boateng, the ball was worked quickly to the left and then in to Viduka on the edge of the penalty area following a neat step-over from Yakubu.

The Australian expertly held up possession before slipping in Cattermole on the overlap down the right, who dispatched a cool finish into the far corner.

There was still time for Boro to have snatched the lead before the break when Viduka's stunning long-range volley dipped just over the crossbar.

A deep cross from the right by Boateng found its way through to Viduka at the far post early in the second half but the striker headed the ball down and up over the crossbar.

Charlton slowly started to build pressure of their own.

A cross from the left by Reid was just behind Bent and Hasselbaink, who had both taken up good positions in the six-yard box.

As the hour mark passed, Bent tried his luck with a 20-yard curler, which was too central to trouble Schwarzer.

Then a horrible mix-up in the Charlton defence after 64 minutes saw Boro take the lead.

Stewart Downing whipped the ball in from the left, which, under pressure from Cattermole, Hreidarsson tried to chest back to his keeper.

However, the ball bounced off the Boro player, and straight out into the path of Arca, who promptly dispatched it low past Carson form 12 yards.

The atmosphere which had been building inside The Valley then, understandably, went flat.

Any hopes of a revival were ended when Yakubu lashed in a superb effort on 68 minutes.

The Nigerian picked the ball up on the left, carried it forwards and cut inside full-back Talal El Karkouri before drilling a stunning strike into the top corner.

Holland forced a diving save from Schwarzer on 80 minutes, but Boro never looked like relinquishing their grip on the game and were worthy of victory.

Teams:

Charlton Carson, El Karkouri, Diawara, Hreidarsson, Thatcher,Rommedahl (Thomas 83), Holland, Reid, Ambrose (Hughes 83),Marcus Bent (Sam 74), Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: Randolph, Faye.

Booked: Hasselbaink, Holland, Ambrose.

Goals: Hasselbaink 27.

Middlesbrough Schwarzer, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor,Cattermole, Boateng (Morrison 74), Arca, Downing,Viduka (Euell 90), Yakubu (Christie 83).

Subs Not Used: Jones, Davies.

Booked: Cattermole.

Goals: Cattermole 45, Arca 63, Yakubu 68.

Att: 26,384

Ref: M Dean (Wirral).