Charlton down Ipswich

Euell snatched the winning goal for Charlton

Charlton Athletic 3-2 Ipswich Town
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Charlton came back from two goals down at the Valley to win an entertaining match and end Ipswich's run of three Premiership wins.

Both defences struggled to cope with the freezing conditions and an unpredictable pitch.

But defensive hesitancy is a striker's dream, and Marcus Bent made a fast start with a brace of goals inside the first five minutes.

  Key moments

1 min: Marcus Bent's goal stuns the home crowd

5 mins: Bent scores a second with a brilliant chip

16 mins: John Robinson pulls a goal back

32 mins: Scott Parker squares the match

49 mins: Bent hits the post after a good run from Hermann Hreidarsson

61 mins: Jason Euell is on hand to stab in the winner

However, his double strike only served to stoke the Charlton fires on a freezing New Year's Day.

John Robinson and Scott Parker levelled the match before half-time, and Jason Euell secured the points with a second half goal.

The Addicks could have celebrated an even greater margin of victory - in only their third home win of the season - but for Kevin Lisbie's profligacy in front of goal.

On their last visit to the capital, Ipswich picked up a first Premiership away victory of the season with a late winner at Tottenham.

All the early signs pointed to another three points on the road - and 12 points from 12 over Christmas - after Bent struck on 54 seconds.

The former Blackburn striker pounced on a Hermann Hreidarsson header from a Mark Venus free-kick, to nod the ball into the bottom corner of Dean Kiely's goal.

I wanted to go home after five minutes but our enthusiasm dragged us back

Alan Curbishley

It was the first goal Kiely had conceded in 181 minutes of football - but like a London bus a second was not long in coming.

Four minutes later the Republic of Ireland international was again picking the ball out of his net.

Jim Magilton's hopeful through-ball caught Chris Powell out of position and Bent, with a brilliant chip from the edge of the area, left a stranded Kiely flapping at air.

But far from wilting under the onslaught, as Sunderland had against Ipswich at the weekend, Alan Curbishley's lacklustre charges took charge of the game.

Euell repeatedly ran at a labouring and waning Venus, and allied to the pace of Lisbie, Ipswich's retreating defence was frequently troubled.

Euell caused the Ipswich defence numerous problems

George Burley's men came into the match with an equally proud defensive record, but by the end of the match it was a dim and distant memory.

Robinson, a driving force throughout, became the first man to beat Matteo Sereni in four hours and 34 minutes of action.

The Welsh international latched onto Matt Holland's weak clearance from a Parker long-throw, and his fizzing shot from the edge of the area beat the Italian.

On 32 minutes provider turned scorer as Parker squared the match.

From Luke Young's free-kick, his hooked shot at the back post escaped the best attempts of Venus and Sereni to trickle over the line.

Charlton's attack repeatedly threatened the Ipswich defence and Lisbie had a trio of good chances prior to the break.

We took our foot off the pedal and I'm disappointed to throw away a two goal lead

George Burley

But after Bent had thundered an effort against the post early in the second half, Charlton wrapped up the points.

Lisbie missed another good chance from a Robinson cut-back, but Euell was on hand to complete a remarkable comeback to delight the Valley.

Ipswich threw everything at Charlton in the closing stages.

But the home defence held firm for a deserved win that leaves visitors still looking over their shoulders at the wrong end of the table.

Charlton, though, will be casting their eye ever upwards in the New Year as they look to join the chase for European places.

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Charlton Athletic: Kiely, Young, Fish, Costa, Powell, Robinson, Jensen (Johansson 90), Parker (Bart-Williams 83), Konchesky, Lisbie (Bartlett 86), Euell. Subs Not Used: Ilic, Fortune.

Booked: Robinson, Young.

Goals: Robinson 16, Parker 32, Euell 61.

Ipswich Town: Sereni, Makin, Gaardsoe, Venus, Hreidarsson, George, Magilton (Reuser 67), Holland, Clapham (Peralta 67), Marcus Bent, Armstrong. Subs Not Used: Branagan, Naylor, Wright.

Booked: Hreidarsson, Venus.

Goals: Marcus Bent 1, 5.

Attendance: 25,893

Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield).