Crystal Palace 0 Charlton 1

DENNIS ROMMEDAHL scored his first goal in English football with the last kick of the game as Charlton snatched a dramatic derby win in Sunday's south London derby at Selhurst Park.

Forty days after Charlton endured the humiliation of suffering a Carling Cup eclipse at the hands of a virtual Palace reserve side, they exacted a handsome revenge in the first meeting between the two arch rivals in the Premier League.

What had been a dour affair appeared to be heading for stalemate when Danny Murphy swung over a pass into the path of the Denmark international.

He outwitted Danny Granville before picking his spot for the club's second away win in the Premiership.

Charlton had been hanging on by the fingertips, sustaining wave after wave of Palace pressure when Rommedahl struck his golden goal.

At the final whistle, jubilant Addicks fans saluted goalkeeper Dean Kiely whose 57th minute penalty save kept his side in the game.

Palace top scorer Andy Johnson looked set to add to his nine goal tally when he stepped up to take the penalty after he had been upended by Talal El Karkouri.

But Kiely guessed correctly as he dived low to his left to produce an exceptional save. Johnson had hit the target with three previous penalties this season.

Charlton had been content to sit back and invite pressure while attempting to hit Palace on the counter-attack.

Chances were few and far between in the first half and there was little to cheer the crowd of 20,705 on a grey afternoon.

Both teams produced a series of biting tackles as they fought for early supremacy while referee Matt Messias did not endear himself to supporters with some curious decisions that did not allow the game to flow.

Charlton's game plan was hit in the 17th minute when Jonatan Johansson limped off to be replace by Rommedahl as manager Alan Curbishley gambled by playing two wingers with Jerome Thomas wide left.

Matt Holland went closest for Charlton who suffered from the lack of a clinical finish.

Johnson provided a handful for the Charlton defence who withstood a battering but coped well under an aerial bombardment.

Palace were out of luck in the 42nd minute when Michael Hughes' cross was met by Aki Riihilahti whose header smacked against the underside of the bar.

The Palace penalty miss, so early in the second half, failed to knock the stuffing out of the side who looked the more likely to score.

With Kiely buying his side time, Charlton poured more men forward in the hope of poaching the winner. The game opened up in midfield and more chances were created.

Kiely produced another good save from Johnson while Palace substitute Dougie Freedman went close.

Then Rommedahl, who has not enjoyed the easiest of starts since his summer arrival, suddenly won over the hearts and minds of Charlton fans with his act of grand larceny.

Crystal Palace: Kiraly, Boyce, Popovic, Hall, Granville, Watson, Rihilahti (Freedman), Hughes, Routledge, Kolkka (Lakis), Johnson.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Fortune, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Kishishev, Holland, Murphy, Thomas, Johansson (Rommedahl), Bartlett (Jeffers).

Att: 20,705.