Charlton 1 West Brom 4

ALAN CURBISHLEY departed with shoulders slumped, as if fate had just given him a contemptuous cuff.

He shot an icy stare the way of referee Mark Halsey and for a few idle seconds, you wondered what he was thinking. Perhaps it was better not to know.

Having disposed so gloriously of a far stronger Tottenham side on Wednesday, the Addicks’ renowned capacity for self-destruction at this time of year entered the realms of the absurd on Saturday as they became total strangers to their form four days earlier.

West Bromwich Albion, second from bottom of the Barclays Premiership and without an away win all season, won at a canter. Even the Charlton faithful, whose sense of irony is unrivalled, did not know whether to laugh or cry.

For this was not so much a football match, more a 90-minute trailer for a blooper tape as Charlton were wondrously incompetent and perpetually bewildering.

And then there was Halsey, who had been handed the appointment late on Friday after Howard Webb cried off. Footballers and their managers should, on occasion, be forgiven for losing their composure. Having Mr Halsey officiate your match might be one of them.

The former London cabbie ruined the match as a spectacle, demonstrating that the performance of referees can be as critical as that of the players in putting on public entertainment.

Few would dispute his decision to expel Charlton central defender Talal El Karkouri for serious foul play in the 28th minute. However, it was his failure to get the simple things right that so enraged players and spectators.

Curbishley declined to be drawn on the issue of the red card, which did not change the game as Albion were already on top.

He said: “I’ve seen a lot worse when players have been shown a yellow card. I’ve no sympathy for the player because his feet left the ground. It is all about how you want to interpret the letter of the law. But what does it matter what I say? I’m not the referee.”

Privately, the manager and his players would have groaned on hearing that Mr Halsey had been switched to take charge. Of the five Charlton games he has refereed this season, one has been drawn and four lost.

Those who pointed to El Karkouri’s early departure, which left Charlton to play the remaining 62 minutes with 10 men, should remember that Albion were on top at the time.

Only the heroics of Charlton goalkeeper Dean Kiely in saving from Ronnie Wallwork and Jonathan Greening’s free-kick, prevented the visitors from increasing their ninth-minute lead given them by Geoff Horsfield, who dived to head in Zolton Gera’s cross.

Charlton equalised in the 24th minute through Jonatan Johansson who was sent scurrying through by Jerome Thomas’ excellent pass. He blocked goalkeeper Russell Hoult’s clearance before scoring.

El Karkouri was ordered off minutes later for a two-footed tackle on Gera. Hermann Hreidarsson switched to central defence while Paul Konchesky dropped back from midfield to left-back.

After Kiely had produced another marvellous save to deny Wallwork, Hreidarsson was out of luck with a well-directed header that Albion substitute Darren Moore headed off the line.

The game’s most significant turning point arrived in the 64th minute when Albion substitute Robert Earnshaw was introduced to replace midfielder Kieran Richardson and the visitors switched to a three-pronged attack.

Shaun Bartlett should have given Charlton the lead when he squandered the best chance of the half in the 68th after heading straight at Hoult.

After that, it was all Earnshaw, who bagged a 15-minute hat-trick. He gave Albion a 74th-minute lead with his 13th goal of the season after Horsfield had headed back Paul Robinson’s deep cross.

He made it 3-1 in the 85th minute, after Gera’s pass had split the Charlton defence, before completing the rout with a 90th-minute penalty after substitute Bryan Hughes had needlessly brought down Richard Chaplow.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, El Karkouri, Fish, Hreidarsson, Holland, Murphy (Rommedahl 77), Konchesky, Johansson (Euell 69), Thomas, Bartlett (Hughes 83). Subs Not Used: Andersen, Perry.

Attendance: 27,104.