WHILE many will speculate that the gloves are off in the battle for Charlton’s No.1 shirt, boss Alan Curbishley is just glad to have two top-class keepers on board.

The startling emergence of Danish youngster Stephan Andersen in the closing weeks of the season has put the pressure on fans favourite Dean Kiely and offered Curbishley a custodial headache going into Sunday’s final game with Crystal Palace.

Andersen, snapped up from AB Copenhagen for £721,000 last May, had been handed a shock start against Manchester United two weeks ago with the Valley boss keen to assess his goalkeeping options ahead of the summer with the out-of-contract Simon Royce possibly heading for the exit door.

Despite a 4-0 home reverse, Andersen’s dazzling display saw him retain the gloves for the visit to newly-crowned Premiership champions Chelsea a week later and more heroics kept the Blues at bay until a controversial climax.

The keeper guessed right to save a dubious last-gasp penalty from Claude Makelele but was helpless as the Frenchman bundled in the rebound.

Kiely was recalled between the posts for the last day showdown with Palace and the Irish international produced a vintage display.

But Curbishley insisted the form of his young understudy had given him plenty of food for thought.

He said: "Deano’s had a really good season as we all know but Simon Royce is out of contract and may leave so, bearing that in mind, we had to look at Steph.

"I had to see him in action because my back up, if Simon goes, is two youngsters and I’m not sure if that is enough. We bought Steph during the summer and he’s played really well during the season in the reserves but we needed to see him full on in proper games.

"I think he’s acquitted himself very well and left me with a decision to make. It was an important game and I didn’t want it to be perceived that perhaps I wasn’t playing my strongest side.

"Stephan’s done exceptionally well for us and we’re really pleased for him. Manchester United and Chelsea are not the easiest games to come into but he’s enjoyed himself.

"He hasn’t knocked the door down but has been tapping on it, as a few have this year. Now he’s posted notice that he’s a good goalkeeper and he wants to put Dean under pressure."

The 23-year-old stopper, likened by many to Peter Schmeichel, has one Danish cap to his name but has faded out of the international picture since arriving in SE7.

Andersen said: "Hopefully I’ve showed that I can give something to the team and maybe I’m a little different from Deano, but he’s a great goalkeeper as well. I can learn a lot from him.

"I knew from the beginning that Charlton weren’t buying me as an immediate first choice and that it should take the first year to learn and settle. It’s just been a case of taking it one day at a time."