Dismal Chelsea undone by Charlton

Hasselbaink (l) and Zola were sacrificed at half time

Chelsea 0-1 Charlton

Chelsea's late surge for a Champions League place came to a shuddering halt as they suffered a rare home defeat.

South African striker Shaun Bartlett smashed in the first-half winner after a mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.

Chelsea had worked their way back into contention for a European Cup place by winning five out of their last six games.

But the streak came to an ignominious end and, with third-placed Ipswich beating Coventry, the chance would appear to have gone.

It was only Chelsea's third defeat at Stamford Bridge this season and rarely have they looked so ill at ease on home turf.

Sam Dalla Bona's fifth-minute raking drive which came after a neat interchange with Italian Gianfranco Zola seemed to offer great promise.

And though the Blues had the most of the ball it was Charlton who made the best use of it.

Wise beats Johansson in a midfield tussle

Alan Curbishley's men had seen their chance of snatching that covetted third spot disappear in a dismal two-month run that saw them take just six points from seven matches.

But they found the cutting edge to record only their second league win since early February.

Chelsea midfielder Gustavo Poyet and Dalla Bona gave Chelsea plenty of possession but the final ball was always lacking.

There is no logical explanation for the defeat, we were just not the same team that won the last four matches and Charlton were more hungry

  Claudio Ranieri
Chelsea manager

Leading scorer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was largely starved of anything meaningful and his best chance came from a free-kick before he was substituted.

Defender Marcel Desailly worked himself into a good near post position to meet a Wise corner but, with his back to goal, he nodded it over.

Chelsea's afternoon was summed up when, on the stroke of half-time and the Blue shirts queueing up to meet a corner, Mario Melchiot hoofed it not just over the bar but almost out of the stadium.

Unique double

The miss was almost as embarrassing as Scott Parker's early sliced volley for Charlton.

That was the visitors only real opening until Bartlett gave his side the lead after 35 minutes.

Claus Jensen, possibly the most dangerous-looking player on the pitch, set up the goal with a low shot which was spilled by Cudicini allowing the South African international to fire home.

It's our best performance away from home - we were running out of legs at the end and it was a tremendous result for us

  Alan Curbishley
Charlton manager

Hasselbaink and Zola were sacrificed at half-time, Eidur Gudjohsen and Jesper Gronkjaer taking their place up front for Chelsea.

Chelsea looked better. But not much.

Gronkjaer gave them more width on the left flank and Gudjonsen, scorer in the midweek victory over Spurs, was more willing in front of goal.

But for a team that has scored 42 goals at home this season, a record second only to champions Manchester United, the chances were woefully few and far between.

Graeme Le Saux saw a long-range effort bounce wide and only timely challenges denied Stanic and then Poyet an equaliser.

There was the usual late flurry but it was a relatively simple matter for Charlton to stay firm and become the only team to record the double over Chelsea this season.

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Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Desailly, Terry, Le Saux, Poyet, Wise, Dalla Bona, Stanic, Zola, Hasselbaink. Subs: de Goey, Babayaro, Jokanovic, Gudjohnsen, Gronkjaer.

Charlton: Ilic, Konchesky, Rufus, Fish, Todd, Kinsella, Parker, Jensen, Johansson, Robinson, Bartlett. Subs: Caig, Kishishev, Stuart, Brown, Svensson.

Referee: M Dean (The Wirral).