LUKE VARNEY continued his comeback from long-term injury with a hat-trick for Charlton reserves in an extraordinary 12-goal thriller with Southampton reserves on Monday night at Ebbsfleet United's Stonebridge Road.

Charlton emerged victorious 8-4 from a match that contained three penalties, one sending off and five cautions.

Southampton took the lead after 21 seconds through Simon Gillett but with manager Alan Pardew looking on, Varney equalised with less than a minute on the clock.

Adam Lallana restored Saints' lead in the 12th minute only for Aswad Thomas to soar above the visitors' defence and head an 18th minute equaliser from skipper Harry Arter's corner.

But when Thomas conceded a 39th minute penalty, Inigo Idiakez restored Saints' lead in the 39th minute.

Varney levelled again in first half stoppage time and then Dean Sinclair gave Charlton the lead for the first time in the 49th minute.

Southampton were reduced to 10-men in the 52nd minute when defender Jamie Hatch was sent off for handling on the goalline.

Varney completed his hat-trick from the resulting penalty.

Sam Long made it 6-3 for Charlton in the 55th minute only for Saints to reply through another Idiakez penalty in the 69th.

James Walker made it 7-4 in the 73rd and rounded off the scoring in the 89th.

Pardew afterwards said it was too early to say whether Varney would make his long-awaited first team debut at Colchester on Saturday.

"We'll see how he is later in the week and take it from there," he said.

Varney, who cost the Addicks £2.5 million from Crewe in May, damaged ankle ligaments in a pre-season friendly against Chelsea on July 14.