Before the match, former manager Lawrie McMenemy, received an honorary freedom of Southampton but the mood was sombre before the game with the teams standing for a full minute silence in memory of Southampton fans and officials who had passed away in the past 12 months.

A few minutes into the fixture it was clear that it was not going to be an easy day for Southampton. It turned out to be more of a comedy of errors from the south coast team, and referee Keith Hill, as Charlton managed to get their promotion challenge back on track after a dramatic last minute win.

Both teams came to the game far from being in an ideal state. Southampton missed five defenders due to injuries and Charlton’s confidence was shattered after three games without a goal or a point. They didn’t look like a team in crisis though.

It was Charlton who started well and in the seventh minute Sam Sodje hit the bar with a free header from a corner. More was to follow with free shots at Davis’s goal from Charlton’s Iwelumo and the team’s midfielders.

Charlton failed to score and lost Jose Semedo, who was sent off in the 36 minute after receiving two yellow cards from referee Hill.

The referee was handing out cards and fouls for fun and turning over throw-ins, and it hardly came as a surprise to see Semedo sent off, a decision that almost cost the visitors the match.

Without the young Portuguese defensive midfielder, Southampton were suddenly able to find space in the Charlton half, and both Jhon Viafara and Stern John missed the best chances of the half in its closing minutes. It was the only decent spell they had all day.

The second half turned out to be a scruffy affair. Ten-man Charlton wasted time but were still the more dangerous and ambitious team. The Saints were second to every ball and looked flat and disjointed. Zhi wasted another glorious opportunity and it seemed that Charlton will have to do with just one point but in the dying seconds Chris Iwelumo scored from close range after a superb cross by sub Luke Varney.

Charlton manager, Alan Pardew said: “It was our game. The sending off, which I felt was a bit harsh, set us back but we came back in the second half to gain a massive win. It was one of my biggest moments as a manager, to have an away win, in the last minute, in front of our fans after three defeats is one of the best. I believe we still can do it (promotion).”

Southampton manager George Burley lamented lost chances: “They flooded the midfield and we never got in the game. We had chances after the sending off but we didn’t play well in the second half and didn’t deserve anything.”

Star man: Andy Reid (Charlton)

Player ratings. Southampton: Kelvin Davis 7, Phil Ifil 6, Jhon Viafara 6, Wayne Thomas 5, Gregory Vignal 4 (Andrew Davies 72 min), Nathan Dyer 5, Christian Dailly 5, Inigo Idiakez 6, Andrew Surman 5 (Adam Hammill 68 min), Bradley Wright-Philips 6 (Grzegorz Rasiak 68 min), Stern John 5

Charlton Athletic: Nicky Weaver 7, Danny Milles 7, Sam Sodje 7, Jonathan Fortune 6, Grant Basey 6, Jose Semodo 5, Zheng Zhi 7, Jerome Thomas 6 (Luke Varney 82 min), Andy Reid 8 (Darren Ambrose 90 min), Chris Iwelumo 7, Lloyd Sam 7 (Yassin Moutaoukil 77 min)