Andy Hunt and Martin Pringle scored the goals which ended Charlton's wretched
away record and moved them closer to an unlikely Premiership escape act.
Hunt struck after 64 minutes of a turgid encounter, firing the ball beyond
Russell Hoult from 10 yards after Keith Jones' shot was deflected into his path.
It was Hunt's sixth goal of the season and Pringle, on loan from Benfica,
grabbed his third in five starts on 86 minutes when he raced onto Steve Brown's
interception and slotted home.
Charlton leapfrogged Coventry and Blackburn, both of whom lost this afternoon,
courtesy of the triumph and they are out of the relegation zone for the first
time since Boxing Day.
Before today, the Addicks had lost their last five Premiership away games, as
well as an FA Cup tie at Blackburn, but Hunt and Pringle's efforts gave them
their first away win since October 3 - against Derby's East Midlands rivals
Nottingham Forest.
With two straight victories at The Valley under their belt, Charlton have now
taken nine points from their last three fixtures and the chances of them staving
off an immediate return to the Nationwide League are brightening every week.
It was not pretty - indeed, it was possibly the worst game Pride Park has
staged since it opened in August 1997, but delirious Charlton fans were not
concerned with that as they celebrated a win which dented Derby's impressive
recent home record.
This was the Rams' first defeat on their own ground for three months, with
three straight wins since Christmas catapulting the club into contention for a
UEFA Cup place next season.
That run came to a crashing halt today and angry home supporters let their
side know exactly what they thought of their side's performance, filing out of
the stadium well before referee Uriah Rennie put them out of their misery and
blew for full time.
Derby badly missed Francesco Baiano, out with sciatic trouble, and in the
Italian's absence, there was no-one with the imagination to spark them into
life.
Paulo Wanchope was left on the bench until shortly before Hunt struck but even
he could not conjure up an opening for either himself or Deon Burton, strangely
subdued after six goals in five starts before today.
Charlton defended stubbornly, centre-backs Carl Tiler and Steve Brown more
than a match for anything Derby could throw at them, especially in a frantic
final few minutes.
But while the visitors could hardly be considered good value for all three
points, Derby were punished for a lacklustre display which will worry boss Jim
Smith ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup fifth round replay with Huddersfield.
Before Hunt put his side ahead, Derby had had slightly the better of what
chances were available, with Dean Sturridge twice going close in the first half.
Simon Royce did well to deny Darryl Powell, while Burton fired just wide and
miskicked from 10 yards.
Neil Redfearn's long-range free-kick which flashed off target and a Pringle
drive which was straight at Hoult were Charlton's best efforts until they
scored.
However, once Charlton took the lead, they never looked like relinquishing it
and Pringle put the icing on the cake in the dying stages.
Teams:
Derby: Hoult, Prior, Stimac, Laursen (Harper 78),
Delap (Bohinen 61), Powell, Carsley, Eranio, Dorigo,
Sturridge (Wanchope 61), Burton.
Subs Not Used: Knight, Schnoor.
Charlton: Royce, Mills, Tiler, Brown, Powell, Redfearn,
Kinsella (Barnes 19), Jones (Barness 65), Pringle, Hunt,Robinson (Mendonca 73).
Subs Not Used: Petterson, Bright.
Booked: Robinson.
Goals: Hunt 64, Pringle 86.
Att: 27,853
Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).
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