Charlton 2 Sheffield United 5

Hundreds of Charlton supporters demonstrated outside the directors' entrance at The Valley calling for the sacking of manager Alan Pardew after the club slipped into the Coca-Cola relegation zone.

It was the second successive demonstration mounted by disaffected fans following the home defeat by Barnsley on November 1.

This time, however, the numbers were far greater, swelled by fans from all parts of the ground.

Pardew's future is certain to be high on the agenda when the directors meet on Monday to consider a depressing sequence in which the Addicks have won only one of their last 12 games.

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Asked about his future, a distraught Pardew said: "Of course I fear for my future when results have been so poor.

"The club was on the slide when I came here and I've not managed to stop that. I will have to accept what decisions are made by the board of directors.

"The decision at the moment is that I have a contract here and with it a responsibility to my staff and players to be strong."

Sheffield United took a seventh minute lead when James Beattie got on the end of Greg Halford's pass.

Linvoy Primus's first goal since his return to the club on loan - a header from Nicky Bailey's 16th minute free-kick - levelled for the Addicks.

But an almost identical goal at the other end by Gary Speed put the visitors back in front on 28 minutes.

It was 3-1 on the stroke of half-time when Charlton keeper Nicky Weaver flapped at Kyle Naughton's centre and could only punch as far as Matthew Kilgallon who fired in from just inside the area.

Any hopes of a second half fightback by the home side faded just three minutes in when Kelly Youga put through his own net.

Those hopes ended in the 53rd minute when Stephen Quinn grabbed the fifth after being set up by Brian Howard.

Hameur Bouazza pulling one back in the 56th minute was scant consolation on a miserable afternoon for the Addicks and their supporters.

Addicks: Weaver, Moutaouakil, Primus, Hudson, Youga (Waghorn 52), Sam, Semedo, Bailey, Holland, Bouazza, Gray (Todorov 62). Subs not used: Elliot, Varney, Racon.

Attendance: 20,328.