Bent's late show gives Charlton survival boost

Darren Bent, seen here in action in March 2006, kept Charlton's surge to Premiership safety on course as his late penalty clinched a 1-0 win against relegation rivals Wigan on Saturday.

Darren Bent kept Charlton's surge to Premiership safety on course as his late penalty clinched a 1-0 win against relegation rivals Wigan on Saturday.

Alan Pardew's side were set for a frustrating stalemate until Fitz Hall was adjudged to have fouled Marcus Bent four minutes from full-time. Darren Bent calmly drove home the spot-kick to send The Valley faithful wild with his 12th goal of the season.

Charlton are now just one point behind fourth-from-bottom Sheffield United after a perfectly-timed, four-match, unbeaten run.

Wigan will be fearing the worst after a hardly-deserved defeat that leaves them looking nervously at Charlton, who are only a win away from Paul Jewell's side.

If Pardew can keep Charlton up it will complete a remarkable revival from a team that looked dead and buried when he took over at Christmas.

With so much at stake it was no surprise that both teams looked nervous and were content to play a cautious game in the first half. As a result chances were at a premium.

Dennis Rommedahl tried his luck with a looping drive after he an initially miscontrolled Bent's pass, but John Filan saved comfortably.

It took a brave block from Scott Carson to keep Charlton on level terms when the on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper sprinted off his line to deny Caleb Folan after he had sprinted clear of Souleymane Diawara.

Charlton were bouyed by a three-match unbeaten run that had breathed fresh life into the London club's survival bid and they should have been ahead midway through the half.

Chinese midfielder Zheng Zhi squandered a chance to put the hosts in front when he weakly scuffed a shot straight at Filan after Wigan had failed to clear.

Pardew had warned his players that Wigan would not come for a draw and he was proved correct as the Latics gradually took control.

Matt Jackson gave warning of their attacking intent when he looped a header over from Ryan Taylor's cross.

It was left-back Leighton Baines who came closest to breaking the deadlock when his free-kick scraped a post just before half-time.

Wigan were back in the ascendency after the break and Lee McCulloch almost connected with Folan cross, before Baines shot just wide from long range.

Folan saw a fierce strike blocked by Luke Young as Jewell's team, who were unbeaten in their previous four matches, looked the more likely winners for long periods.

But when Bent went to ground after a challenge from Hall, referee Peter Walton pointed to the spot and the Charlton forward picked himself up to beat Filan and end Wigan's run of 421 minutes without conceding a goal.

Walton's decision had looked generous to Charlton and Jewell furiously berated the official at full-time, but the damage had been done.