BRADLEY Wright-Phillips scored a late equaliser against his old club as Charlton held Southampton to a 1-1 draw at The Valley on Tuesday.

The free-scoring forward converted a delightful lofted pass from Dean Parrett in the 86 minute after defender Rahdi Jaidi had broken the deadlock from a corner.

And the home side felt they had the ball in the Saints net on a second occasion moments before they levelled for real, when Miguel Llera’s header from a free-kick looked like it may have crossed the line after rattling the crossbar.

The point denied Southampton the chance to move up into the automatic promotion places, while stopping a run of three straight defeats for Chris Powell’s side.

But it’s still only two points from 27 for the Addicks whose play-off hopes seem all but over for this season.

The first real chance of the contest came in the tenth minute when Adam Lallana headed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross over the bar.

But nonetheless it was a bright and determined start from the Addicks, clearly looking to prove a point against their high-flying opponents after a series of defeats to lower-half opposition.

After Therry Racon conceded a free-kick deep on the right flank, the delivery was somehow headed across goal rather than into it, and Llera made a good block from Lallana at the far post.

The close calls continued to come the way of the visitors, and towering centre-back Jose Fonte headed Oxade-Chamberlain’s corner wide on 25.

The tempo of the game remained fast and furious, which suited the Saints more than it did the Reds, and rushed deliveries from Chris Solly, Frank Nouble and others were wasted.

Rickie Lambert tested the returning Rob Elliot in goal with a vicious 25-yard free kick which the goalkeeper couldn’t hold onto, but Christian Dailly was on hand to clear Oxlade-Chamberlain’s follow-up centre.

By the 40-minute mark, Charlton were growing into the game on the attacking side of things, and a long chip into the danger zone by Dailly was flashed across the goalmouth by Racon from a tight angle on the left.

Moments before the break, Spurs loanee Parrett rescued a loose ball to send Scott Wagstaff blistering down the right beating both Dean Hammond and Dan Harding, with the latter pulling the winger back for a free-kick which was eventually cleared.

Southampton started the second half as dangerously as they’d spent much of the first, but Nouble caught Jaidi napping at the back to steal possession and blast a 20-yarder over Kelvin Davis’ bar.

And sixty seconds later, Racon and Wagstaff worked in tandem to find the Guadeloupian space to fire directly at the Saints keeper.

With Oxlade-Chamberlain put out of commission by a Federico Bessone challenge, Nouble took advantage of the brief numbers advantage to bring the ball forward only to be dispossessed at the last gasp.

The away side broke and Dany N’Guessean, who replaced Adam Lallana in the first half, sent a deep cross flying past the six-yard box and to Harding, whose first-time volleyed cross-cum-shot had to be beaten away from the top corner by Elliot at full stretch.

Oxlade-Chamberlain made it two enforced early subs for Nigel Adkins, as the highly-rated teenager was replaced by Guly Do Prado on the hour mark.

And the sub made an impact almost immediately, firing in the corner on 64 minutes for Jaidi to lash a volley past Elliot for the opener.

After Nathan Eccleston came on in place of Wagstaff, Bessone got the better of a defending Do Prado and crossed for Wright-Phillips who couldn’t quite unleash the end product he wanted.

And from a Parrett corner moments later, Miguel Llera headed wide of the far post as the Addicks showed a willingness to fight their way back into the game not seen too often in recent weeks.

Controversy reigned in the 77th minute when a Parrett free-kick from the left appeared to just about cross the line from the head of Llera.

But the Spaniard, who had a goal against Tranmere taken away from him weeks prior and accredited to Wright-Phillips, was denied by referee Andy D’Urso who ruled no goal.

D’Urso was the official who cost the Addicks over £60,000 by postponing the original Boxing Day fixture between the two clubs, and Llera was shown the yellow card for his continued pleas.

Disaster almost struck on 83 minutes after Racon gave away possession cheaply and Elliot slipped whilst coming out to collect a Dailly back-header, but the goalie was able to salvage the ball before Jonathan Forte could capitalise.

But Charlton finally got their equaliser five minutes from time when Eccleston cut inside from the right to feed Parrett, whose casual first-time chip over the Saints defence was stabbed past Davis by Wright-Phillips.

Forte fed N’Guessan clean through on 88 minutes, and the substitute had the ball in the back of the net but the flag had long gone up.

The ruling was much to the frustration of the Saints dugout, as the forward appeared to be played onside by two defenders.

Nonetheless, the home fans greeted the final whistle after four minutes of added time with pride and relief at a much improved performance from the Reds and a hard-earned point against formidable opposition.

Charlton: Elliot, Solly, Llera, Dailly, Bessone, Wagstaff (Eccleston 73), Semedo, Parrett (Doherty 90), Racon, Nouble (Anyinsah 81), Wright-Phillips. Subs not used: Sullivan, Francis, Fortune, Reid. Att: 16,550