It isn’t often when a match involving Charlton Athletic raises the heart rate, but today’s last minute win against Aston Villa today was a splendid match. Alan Pardew has already invigorated his Charlton squad, and if the Southeast London team can keep it up, it’ll have a chance of moving out of the relegation zone.

Full credit has to go to the Charlton squad for coming back from being 1-0 down even though they dominated the first half, and could have gone 1-0 up themselves if it wasn’t for Kiraly in Aston Villa’s goal making a super save from Darren Ambrose’s curling shot.

The match was suspenseful throughout. It was one of those games where you didn’t know who would win it in the end.

In the second half, Charlton found their equalizer and in a moment that sums up the kind of man Alan Pardew is, he celebrated the goal by walking past the dugout and giving a caring kiss to the top of the head of a disabled Charlton supporter near the touchline.

When Steve Hughes got the last minute winner for Charlton, the Valley erupted. Pardew ran over to the crowd and gave a few fans a hug. The sense of relief for Charlton, Pardew and the fans was plain to see. The Addicks don’t look like relegation fodder. Let’s see if they can mount a challenge between now and May to get out of the relegation zone.