Charlton gained their first derby win of the season and made West Ham pay for spurning a host of first-half chances with a goal in each half at The Valley.
Matthew Etherington and Nigel Reo-Coker went close for West Ham before Shaun Bartlett put Charlton ahead, stretching to put the ball past Roy Carroll.
After the break Dennis Rommedahl hit the post before Darren Bent, who set up the opener, headed Charlton's second.
Late on Yossi Benayoun summed up West Ham's day, screwing a shot off-target.
With both sides struggling for form, it was a frantic start, with West Ham the quicker out of the blocks.
Etherington saw his shot palmed wide and Herman Hreidarsson did well to keep out Nigel Reo-Coker's goal-bound lob, but after enduring an early battering it was Charlton who went ahead.
Bartlett slid in at the far post to get a toe on the end of Bent's cross from the right and fire in off the underside of the bar.
West Ham replied strongly, with Thomas Mhyre doing well to stand up and deny ex-Charlton player Shaun Newton, and Marlon Harewood flashing a fine effort just off target.
Carroll was twice called into action just before the break, first to keep out Rommedahl's low volley and then to block a Bartlett effort with his feet.
West Ham had another lucky escape after the break when Rommedahl's softly-hit low effort struck the post.
James Collins then nearly put the ball in his own net before Bent headed in Chris Powell's cross to double Charlton's lead.
West Ham sent on Benayoun in a forlorn effort to provide more cutting edge, but it was Charlton who went closer to adding to the scoreline when Hreidarsson's point-blank header drew a fine instinctive save from Carroll.
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley on their precious victory:
"We needed it, no matter how it came about.
"In the first half, we looked very nervous and edgy. West Ham capitalised on that and had the lion's share.
"But we got the goal on the break, and then the second half was much more even. I'll take the 2-0, and now it is something for us to build on."
West Ham manager Alan Pardew:
"We started terrifically, then in their first real attack, they end up taking the lead.
"After that they showed their maturity of being in this division, and did not come out too much at us, and made it very difficult.
"After conceding a second, it was going to be a long haul, and unfortunately the game petered out on us."
Charlton: Myhre, Young, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Powell, Rommedahl, Kishishev, Holland, Hughes, Bent, Bartlett (Lisbie 76).
Subs Not Used: Perry, Andersen, Ambrose, Spector.
Booked: Hreidarsson.
Goals: Bartlett 21, Bent 63.
West Ham: Carroll, Dailly (Benayoun 61), Ferdinand, Collins, Konchesky, Newton, Reo-Coker, Mullins, Etherington, Harewood, Aliadiere (Bellion 74).
Subs Not Used: Fletcher, Clarke, Hislop.
Att: 25,952
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
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Well done boys, seems like a good performance, lets kick start 2006 today!
