CHARLTON were eliminated from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in heartbreaking fashion after losing a penalty shoot-out at Brentford on Tuesday evening.

It was the second time in 2010 that the Addicks had dreams of Wembley dashed by spot kicks, but it took a spectacular hat-trick of saves from the brilliant Richard Lee in goal for the Bees to give the West Londoners a spot in the Southern area final.

The contest finished goalless but built up to an exciting climax as both sides could easily have found a winning goal from open play, though the hosts will have felt justified after coming closest to a dramatic clincher in the dying moments.

But Charlton, much changed from Sunday’s disastrous defeat at home to Walsall, gave their travelling support a performance to be proud of before succumbing from twelve yards.

Pawel Abbott, mostly frozen out of the side as of late, showed early signs of style in bringing down Jose Semedo’s pass and flicking it over the Brentford back line to the feet of Kyel Reid, whose cross flew past everyone in the box for a goal kick.

Bees right-back Stephen Wright received an early yellow card for a cynical foul on Reid, moments before Gary Doherty had to put a dangerous low cross from Toumani Diagouraga behind for a corner.

It was from this set piece that Brentford’s Robbie Simpson and Charlton’s Matt Fry both went down from a clash, though both recovered to continue playing.

Reid and Abbott combined again on ten, the winger’s cross met by a cheeky back-heel volley by the Polish forward which went wide of Richard Lee’s goal.

The home side’s first good chance of the early stages came from the head of ex-Millwall striker Gary Alexander, who couldn’t keep his attempt down and watched it fly well over the bar.

Simpson came closer at the 20-minute mark with a low free-kick to the right of the ‘D’ which required a decent parry from Rob Elliot.

Although the game wasn’t leaving first gear, Reid capitalised on some hesitant defending to snatch possession and threaten to change all that, though Lee did well to save his low drive from the edge of the box.

In the final minute of the half came the Addicks’ best chance of the entire period – a slick counter initiated by Lee Martin and Alan McCormack was sent out left to Reid, whose early cross was mis-cleared by Leon Legge into the path of an advanced Martin who couldn’t manage to get the touch to send the ball past Lee.

The second half got off to a fast start courtesy of a game of human pinball inside the Charlton box which ended with Doherty clearing the danger inches from his goal line before one of several Bees could pounce.

Neither side could take a firm grip on the game even as we approached the middle of the second period, though some skilled play from a wide-drifting Therry Racon led to a cross headed over by Martin.

The home side had the ball up the other end soon after and Alexander was denied a good chance on goal at the last possible moment by an alert McCormack who dispossessed him in the box and cleared.

The visitors thought they had a penalty when Legge brought down Joe Anyinsah, but the free-kick just outside the box, taken by the other half of a double sub Johnnie Jackson, was blocked by the wall before Fry volleyed the rebound well over.

As the clock ticked away and the game’s tempo gradually increased, Brentford had another chance from a deep free-kick which several striped shirts failed to capitalise upon, allowing Charlton to clean up.

The away side were seeing more of the ball as we approached the final ten minutes, and Racon found the space to test Lee with a sweet curling 20-yarder which the goalkeeper put behind for a corner while attempting to catch cleanly.

And this see-saw derby continued to sway, Bees midfielder Karleigh Osborne hitting the crossbar after collecting Craig Woodman’s free kick from near the right-hand corner flag.

As the fourth official ironically indicated four minutes of stoppage time would be played, both third and final sub Paul Benson and Anyinsah fell in the Brentford box, though Osborne appeared to legitimately bring the ex-Dagenham man down.

And as time added on began, former Charlton Academy product Charlie McDonald stayed level with the back line to surge clean through but although his effort beat Elliot it somehow trickled wide of the post.

It wasn’t the home side’s final attempt before the shoot-out loomed, either: Sam Wood brought a overshot cross down and although he faced a tight angle from the left, his shot only just sailed the wrong side of the Addicks’ goal.

It was courtesy of a penalty shoot-out that Charlton missed out on Wembley earlier this year in the play-off semi-finals against Swindon Town at The Valley, and after winning the coin toss, captain Christian Dailly opted to have the spot kicks in front of the travelling fans.

Jackson took the first kick, but despite converting two in the league for the Addicks, his effort was saved by Richard Lee while Kevin O’Connor put the Bees ahead.

Racon was up next, and Lee saved yet again, tipping his effort onto the post and with ex-Addick McDonald also finding the back of the net in the same bottom corner, it looked like more penalty heartbreak for Phil Parkinson’s men.

Lee made it a remarkable three for three against Kyel Reid, saving the best save for last with a tremendous one-handed save at full stretch before substitute Michael Spillane saw his match-point penalty stopped by Elliot to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.

Doherty was the first Charlton player to succeed from 12 yards, but Alexander made no mistake in sending the Bees through to meet Exeter and spark a pitch invasion while the heartbroken away side trudged off amidst the growing crowd.

Charlton: Elliot, Jenkinson, , Dailly, Doherty, McCormack (Jackson 71), Racon, Semedo, Martin (Anyinsah 71), Reid, Abbott (Benson 80). Subs not used: Worner, Llera. Att: 2,783