CHARLTON edged a five-goal thriller against Peterborough at The Valley this afternoon.

Nathan Eccleston was handed his first start since his arrival on loan from Liverpool, with Paul Benson and Joe Anyinsah both ruled out through injury.

Having won the corresponding fixture 5-1 earlier in the season, and with Peterborough drawing 4-4 with Southampton last week, it came as no surprise to see both sides have early chances.

It was Charlton to show first with a third minute Simon Francis header cleared off the line.

Almost immediately, Lee Tomlin put Chris Whelpdale through on goal and only a deflection by Jose Semedo ensured it went behind for a corner, from which Whelpdale's flicked header across the six-yard box just failed to pick out a Posh team-mate.

Rob Elliot reacted well to deny Craig Mackail-Smith after he got on the end of George Boyd's through ball on the quarter hour.

But Peterborough were unfortunate not to go in front one minute later when a mistake by Johnnie Jackson was capitalised on by Lee Tomlin, whose drive from the edge of the area was pushed onto the post by the fingertips of Elliot.

The ball came back into play and fell kindly at the feet of Tommy Rowe 18 yards out but his follow up shot was deflected behind by Semedo.

Charlton's best chance so far came in the 25th minute when Federico Bessone's released Scott Wagstaff and only the quick thinking of Posh keeper Joe Lewis denied him the opening goal.

However, it was Peterborough who did go in front four minutes later.

Francis was brushed off the ball by Tomlin who surged forward into the area before firing a curling shot past Elliot.

Referee David Webb fell to the ground in agony following an accidental clash with a visiting player and left the field on a stretcher after several minutes of injury.

Elliot was forced to push out a Tom Kennedy free-kick on 38 minutes before the danger was cleared as Charlton again lived dangerously.

They were perhaps fortunate to find themselves only one goal behind at the break.

Surely things could only get better in the second half for the hosts?

Manager Chris Powell made one change at the break, replacing Wagstaff with Pawel Abbott.

Mackail-Smith blazed a volley wildly over the bar two minutes after the restart but he really should have doubled his side's advantage moments later when he headed wide from six yards after meeting Tomlin's dangerous cross.

Charlton came close to drawing level when Francis' free-kick into the area was met by Doherty and the defender's header was only kept out by Lewis, who pushed it behind at the expense of a corner.

But the Addicks were back on terms on 57 minutes and Francis was the provider, delivering an inch-perfect cross from the right for Jackson to head home.

And the game was turned on its head two minutes later when Charlton took the lead as an unmarked Wright-Phillips rose majestically to head Eccleston's cross past Lewis.

Despite the euphoria, Charlton suffered a blow when Bessone went off on a stretcher and was replaced by Matt Fry on 62 minutes.

Wright-Phillips almost grabbed his second of the game on 70 minutes but his 20 yard shot was pushed behind by Lewis.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing forced a decent stop from Elliot as Posh reminded the hosts they were still firmly in the game.

But they saw those hopes disappear 10 minutes from time when Abbott's volley took a cruel deflection off Kelvin Langmead before looping over Lewis.

Posh substitute Grant McCann almost put the visitors right back in it with his first touch of the game as his free-kick was spilled by Elliot before the danger was cleared.

MacKail-Smith set up a tense finale by smashing home a stunning volley in stoppage time.

But the Addicks held on to make it four wins from four under Powell.

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Charlton: Elliot, Francis, Doherty, Dailly, Bessone (Fry 63), Wagstaff (Abbott 46), Semedo, McCormack, Jackson, Eccleston, Wright-Phillips (Reid 81). Subs not used: Worner, Racon, Fortune, Jenkinson. Att: 15,909.