Mathias Svensson's second goal of the season halted Charlton's slide down the table and left Everton hanging precariously above the relegation zone.

Svensson headed home Claus Jensen's eighth-minute corner as the Addicks dominated the first half to set up their first win in five games.

And although Duncan Ferguson made his first appearance for four months as a second half substitute and Idan Tal hit an upright, the visitors could not find an equaliser and have now taken just one point from their last four games.

The Addicks had been similarly troubled before the game, taking one point from their last four games - the 3-3 draw against Manchester United - and slumped to 13th in the table, level on points with their visitors but one place higher.

But Svensson calmed the fears of the home support just eight minutes into the game to give Alan Curbishley's side what proved to be the crucial advantage.

Charlton had started brightly in an open game and Jonatan Johansson had forced Thomas Myhre - making his first appearance of the season in place of the injured Paul Gerrard after being recalled from a loan spell at Tranmere - into a save with just 15 seconds on the clock.

Johansson then almost opened the scoring on seven minutes. Myhre raced from his area to head clear a long through ball but only headed it straight to the Finn whose return volley was going in until Michael Ball headed over the bar.

But the danger was not over and from the resulting Jensen corner Svensson rose highest to glance a header down into the far corner despite the best efforts of an Everton defender on the line.

Almost immediately Everton pushed forward in search of an equaliser and Thomas Gravesen's thunderous drive took a slight deflection and flew just inches over before Mark Fish's superbly-timed challenge on Danny Cadamarteri prevented the striker from getting a shot on target.

Everton boss Walter Smith had been forced to make yet more changes to his injury-ravaged squad with flu victims Mark Pembridge and Kevin Campbell replaced by Joe-Max Moore and Niclas Alexandersson.

And the visitors has Alexandersson to thank for keeping the deficit at just one on 23 minutes when the Swede cleared off the line after David Weir had bundled the ball towards his own goal from another Jensen corner.

The one ray of hope for the travelling faithful was the appearance of Ferguson on the bench as he made another comeback from injury.

The former Scotland international ironically has not played since the home game against Charlton on August 23, when he scored twice, but was on the bench two weeks ago for the 5-0 defeat against Manchester City.

Gravesen was booked for a foul on Jensen as Everton struggled to get on terms against a more inventive home side.

Svensson almost grabbed his second in spectacular style, controlling Stuart's cross on his chest before attempting an overhead bicycle kick that Myhre did well to save at his near post and also block Robinson's follow-up.

Mark Fish then joined South Africa team-mate Shaun Bartlett on the sidelines as he limped off just after the half-hour to be replaced by Steve Brown.

Meanwhile Everton's best chances of scoring seemed to come from long range with Gravesen again trying his luck, this time straight at keeper Dean Kiely.

Tal replaced Moore at half-time but it was still the home side who looked more likely to score, Jensen bringing a superb save from Myhre with a stinging right foot drive from the right hand side of the area.

It did not take long for Smith to bring on his other two substitutes with Ferguson and Unsworth replacing Cadamarteri and Stephen Hughes.

And after being out of the game for exactly four months it took Ferguson a matter of seconds to make an impact, unfortunately for him the wrong kind as referee Graham Barber gave him a quick lecture for showing dissent.

Stuart and Tal were then booked for a game of push and shove as tackles began to fly and tempers fray, something which appeared to favour Everton as they pushed for an equaliser.

Unsworth's left-foot free kick from 25 yards flicked off the wall and flew inches wide before Weir brilliantly beat two Charlton players only to fire over the bar.

Charlton thought they had secured a vital second goal on 76 minutes when Johansson raced on to a through ball, held off Weir and the onrushing Myhre and stabbed the ball into an empty net.

But the flag had gone up on the far side and Everton almost took advantage moments later through substitute Tal.

Fellow sub Unsworth swung in a cross from the left-hand side and Tal controlled on his chest before hitting a spectacular overhead kick that he was unlucky to see come back off the post, Kiely possibly getting the faintest of touches to help deny the Israeli.

There was still time for Weir and Watson to find their way into the referee's notebook and for Weir to fire agonisingly wide from a late corner but Charlton held on for all three points.

Teams:

Charlton: Kiely, Kishishev (Konchesky 80), Powell, Rufus, Fish (Brown 32), Stuart, Kinsella, Jensen, Johansson (Pringle 90), Robinson, Svensson.

Subs Not Used: Parker, Caig.

Booked: Stuart.

Goals: Svensson 9.

Everton: Myhre, Steve Watson, Weir, Ball, Naysmith, Alexandersson, Gravesen, Gemmill, Hughes (Unsworth 62), Moore (Tal 45), Cadamarteri (Ferguson 62).

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Cleland.

Booked: Gravesen, Tal, Weir, Steve Watson.

Att: 20,043

Ref: G Barber (Tring).