Shaun Goater's 25th goal of the season eventually sent Manchester City back into the second automatic promotion spot after a nerve-shredding battle with Charlton.

But the way the First Division leaders hugged themselves in relief and delight after this mighty collision, you were left in no doubt that the south Londoners reckon this point could see them back in the Premiership.

They are 13 points clear at the top now, and despite being subjected to a fearsome barrage from City throughout, Alan Curbishley's men held their nerve and stole a critical point.

For City, this was their sixth game without a win, but with the news that rivals Ipswich had lost at home to Norwich, the 32,000 Maine Road fanatics knew that they were back in the top two still with a game in hand over the East Anglians.

The play-offs will be a bitter pill to swallow now for City, Ipswich, Barnsley or Birmingham as they all mass for the final sprint to join Charlton in the top flight. But whatever happens now in the final furlong, it won't match the tension of this battle.

City dominated territorially for much of the match, but the threat of a an incisive break from the division's leaders was a constant worry for a home side who desperately needed to make this match pay after some shaky form.

They had Robert Taylor surprisingly back in the side after a calf problem, because on-loan Lee Mills had pulled out with a rib injury, while Charlton were without the suspended Richard Rufus, Carl Tiler stepping in.

And it was £1.5million Taylor who almost scored inside the first minute. He turned on a Richard Edghill cross and fired a low drive just wide of the far post.

After eight minutes, Charlton keeper Dean Kiely was only booked when he could easily have been sent of for picking the ball up outside his box. From the resulting free-kick, and with considerable chaos in the Charlton box, Gerard Wiekens fired wide after Taylor had laid back a Mark Kennedy cross.

Danny Tiatto and the tenacious Jeff Whitley helped City take a grip on midfield, and Joe Royle's lads were still doing most of the attacking. From a 17th minute Kennedy free-kick, Jamie Pollock's fierce header was brilliantly saved by a plunging Kiely.

The leaders weathered the early City storm and started to put together neat, intelligent passing moves. And they were denied a goal by an offside flag after 31 minutes when Hunt nodded in Shaun Newton's cross.

TV replays showed that to be a correct decision, and within 60 seconds City were ahead.

Ian Bishop's clipped ball forward from midfield was met first time by Goater, who hooked a stunning 20-yarder over the despairing fingertips of Kiely.

The effort came off Goater's shin, but it was just about what City deserved for their effort and drive, something that has been missing from recent games.

But two minutes from the break Charlton's threat, particularly from the all-action John Robinson, paid off. They were level when a 25-yard hook from Welsh star Robinson took a wicked deflection off Newton and sailed over a flat-footed Nicky Weaver.

City had two outstanding chances to go ahead soon after the break. First Whitley and Goater played a fine one-two into the box, but when the young midfielder should have fired in a shot, he chose one pass too many, and Goater failed to react quickly enough.

Charlton had their chance too. Newton found himself unmarked on the edge of the box, but trickled his shot straight at Weaver.

Then Tiatto embarked on a fine run from halfway, drove the ball across goal, where Taylor was on his heels and just could not get a touch in front of an open goal.

City took off Ian Bishop, switched Kennedy to the right flank and went for glory in the last half hour, but could have paid after 65 minutes when Newton latched onto a Wiekens error to race into the box, only to see his shot stopped by Weaver's legs.

Weaver was City's saviour with 10 minutes left when Pringle was again played clear, but the England Under-21 keeper again pulled off a critical save.

The last minutes were on a knife-edge, full of tension and drama. Pollock almost saw a deflected shot clear Kiely, but Charlton hung on and would consider this to be the point that makes promotion all but certain now.

Teams:

Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Tiatto, Jobson, Wiekens, Pollock, Bishop (Granville 63), Kennedy, J. Whitley, Goater, Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Dickov, Horlock, Wright-Phillips, Wright.

Goals: Goater 32.

Charlton: Kiely, Barness, Powell, Tiler, Brown, Stuart, Newton, Kinsella, Robinson, Hunt, Svensson (Pringle 66).

Subs Not Used: Konchesky, Royce, Fortune, Salako.

Booked: Kiely, Kinsella.

Goals: Robinson 43.

Att: 32,139

Ref: J Kirkby (Sheffield).