Charlton 2 Portsmouth 1

BEFORE Charlton's patrons sauntered home to sip their six o'clock cocktails, they paused to bellow the name of their latest hero.

"One Shaka Hislop, there's only one Shaka Hislop," they declared after the Portsmouth goalkeeper's monumental howler handed the club a first win of the new Barclays Premiership season.

There seemed no danger when, with three minutes remaining, centre-back Jonathan Fortune drove in a long, angled free kick deep into the heart of the Portsmouth penalty area.

The ball skimmed off the head of David Unsworth and looked an easy save for Hislop. But it squirmed out of his grasp, under his body and over the line.

It was a mistake straight out of the Dave Beasant book of calamitous goalkeeping. At the final whistle, Hislop trudged off, head held low, to a chorus of jubilation from relieved Charlton fans.

His manager, Harry Redknapp, was quick to offer sympathy. He said: "Shaka's saved us in the past but what can you say to a player after a bizarre goal like that?"

Opposite number Alan Curbishley smiled, probably reflecting on how he felt at the corresponding time last week after Charlton's 4-1 mauling at Bolton.

The club had kicked off their Centenary Season at home with a win and Curbishley confessed: "It didn't matter how we won, we just needed the right result.

"I was in total despair last week after such a shocking performance and you wonder all week if you're going to turn it around. So we badly needed to win.

"Even though the goal was fortuitous, I felt we deserved the win which we needed as much for ourselves as for all those supporters who made the long trip to Bolton a week ago.

"We were sharper and there was a good deal more enthusiasm and endeavour. Our big problem is that for various reasons we've not been able to spend the required time on the training ground so the new players can get to know each other."

Charlton answered some, though not all, of the searching questions posed by their manager after the previous week's shortcomings.

Curbishley granted a reprieve to the back four who had performed without the slightest semblance of cohesion at The Reebok. Probably because it would have been impossible for them to have played any worse.

On Saturday, they still did not inspire excessive confidence, though it took a contender for Premier League Goal of the Season to beat them.

Charlton went into the game backed by recent form against Pompey, having registered five wins and two draws in seven home and away meetings. Meanwhile, Redknapp's side had suffered one loss from 11 Premier League games and had gone close to winning last season's corresponding fixture.

After Kevin Lisbie's 12th minute header had struck the crossbar, Charlton deservedly took the lead in the 23rd minute when Jason Euell produced an excellent finish from close range after Shaun Bartlett had retained possession in a packed penalty area from Lisbie's cross.

With the crowd willing on home debutant Dennis Rommedahl, the match appeared to be going Charlton's way until the 53rd minute when Patrik Berger sent in a sizzling 25-yard drive arching over goalkeeper Dean Kiely from Unsworth's free kick.

Charlton's brittle confidence threatened to fragment as Portsmouth seized the initiative before the home side recovered their composure.

Though they went close through Mark Fish and the doggedly determined Hermann Hreidarsson, a draw looked the likely outcome until Hislop's careless hands spilt all three points into Charlton's grateful lap.

Should Charlton ever have cause to bemoan their lack of luck during the rest of the season, they would do well to remember Hislop and his blunder.