CHARLTON’S miserable calendar year of results continued at Spotland on Tuesday evening when they were defeated 2-0 by Rochdale.

Midfielder Jason Kennedy gave Dale the lead 10 minutes before the interval with an unstoppable drive after the Addicks had cleared an initial cross.

And despite heavy spells of Charlton pressure in the second half, the result was sealed 15 minutes from time when centre-back Craig Dawson converted from a corner.

The defeat stretched the Addicks’ winless streak to 11 games and left them a surely insurmountable 12 points adrift of the play-offs with no games in hand and just eight fixtures remaining.

Though the hosts began confidently and had a couple of final ball attempts, the first real chance of the game came Charlton’s way on five minutes.

Joe Anyinsah cleverly dummied a pass received inside the Rochdale box, allowing Scott Wagstaff to latch onto the loose ball and force a parry from Owain Fon-Williams in goal.

Therry Racon fired inches wide moments later following half-hearted appeals for a handball against a Dale defender, while Matt Done blasted over at the other end on eight minutes.

Though the pace slowed a little as the first half wore on, Miguel Llera had to clear a home corner before advanced centre-back Craig Dawson could connect.

And moments later, a defensive error at the other side allowed Chris Solly to find Anyinsah with a low cross and the forward’s drive from 15 yards was blocked by Fon-Williams.

The rebound fell to Bradley Wright-Phillips but by the time he could turn and fire at goal, his effort was well-blocked by a blue shirt.

Unfortunately for Chris Powell’s men, the opening goal on 35 minutes went the way of the home side.

A good early cross from Will Atkinson was only headed as far as Kennedy, whose daisy-cutting shot flew into the bottom right corner leaving Rob Elliot stranded.

Dale should have made it 2-0 minutes later when O’Grady’s clever flick-on allowed Done to wriggle his way to a sight of goal and the opportunity really seemed like it’d create more than a tame shot wide.

On the stroke of half-time, Racon and Jose Semedo both had speculative cracks from the edge of the box closed down and a quick break from the hosts had to be nipped in the bud by Christian Dailly.

The second period started off subdued until Paul Benson made his return from a four-match suspension on 54 minutes, coming off the bench to replace Anyinsah.

On two occasions Wagstaff teed up Benson for a shot on target. But both attempts, a volley and a header, were tipped over the bar by Fon-Williams.

At the other end, Rochdale ended the lengthy spell of pressure by the Reds with an O’Grady low cross but sub Joe Thompson could only fire wide.

With quarter of an hour remaining, Jean-Paul Akpa-Akpro replaced Adams and immediately made an impression by winning a corner off Llera.

It was from this set piece Dale made the three points safe, as the corner was not dealt with by Charlton and Dawson got the final touch for the second goal.

Seven minutes from the end, Michael Stewart made his Charlton debut after signing as a free agent, replacing Semedo in a like-for-like switch.

Charlton threatened from time to time regardless in the latter stages, and Racon’s curler from the D required pushing around the post by Fon Williams.

And the Guadeloupe midfielder came close again in the final minute, controlling a Nathan Eccleston centre and twisting and turning before his shot was blocked.

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Charlton: Elliot, Solly, Llera, Dailly, Bessone, Wagstaff (Eccleston 78), Semedo (Stewart 83), Parrett, Racon, Wright-Phillips, Anyinsah (Benson 54). Subs not used: Sullivan, Francis, Doherty, Fortune. Att: 2,589