CHARLTON and Leeds remained in League One’s automatic promotion places with a goalless draw at Elland Road.

The two former Premiership mainstays, hotly tipped to return to the Championship in the summer, battled out an even contest in extremely windy conditions with a stalemate the only fair conclusion.

The home fans thought they had taken the lead within the first ten minutes when Jermaine Beckford latched onto Neil Kilkenny’s fine ball into the Charlton danger zone, but the highly-rated forward’s shot had in fact sailed behind the goal.

After 25 minutes Fraser Richardson, who left Leeds to join the Addicks in the summer, took the ball 40 yards down the right-hand side before finding Jonjo Shelvey with the resulting centre, but the 17-year-old starlet could only head wide.

And five minutes later, Bradley Johnson was at the heart of a good United build-up before capping it off with a superb 20-yard effort forcing a full-stretch parry from Rob Elliott.

Though the visitors had the better of the first fifteen minutes after the break, they were inches away from going a goal down when Enoch Showunmi’s low shot was parried by Elliott, and Kelly Youga bravely beat two onrushing Whites to the rebound.

Charlton sprung possibly their finest of several counter attacks twenty minutes from time, with Therry Racon bursting forward to torment three Leeds defenders before being caught up and dispossessed by home skipper Richard Naylor.

And a few minutes later, Shelvey tested Casper Ankergren with a good effort from the edge of the box, before the Danish keeper bravely blocked Deon Burton’s follow-up.

Five minutes from time, a poor header from Youga allowed Beckford to fire just wide from the right-hand side, and moments later Showunmi chipped just beyond the crossbar from 25 yards.

Charlton: Elliott; Richardson, Sodje, Dailly, Youga; Sam (Wagstaff 46), Spring, Racon (Basey 89), Bailey, Shelvey (McLeod 76); Burton.

Subs not used: Randolph, Llera, Solly, Tuna.

Att: 31,838