Darnell Furlong’s first goal for the Blues and Jaden Philogene’s 12th goal of the season saw Town come from going behind in the opening minute to win 2-1 at Charlton Athletic and return to second in the Championship. The Addicks were gifted a 44th-second opener scored by Greg Docherty before Furlong levelled on 36 and then Philogene netted from the penalty spot in the 58th minute after Furlong had been fouled.

Town made two changes with Leif Davis absent from the squad having felt his hamstring following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough, an issue which is not considered serious.

Ben Johnson returned at left-back in his place, while Anis Mehmeti was the number 10 with Marcelino Nunez dropping to the bench. Jens Cajuste was back among the subs.

Charlton made eight changes from the team which drew 2-2 at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday with Thomas Kaminski, Collins Sichenje, Macaulay Gillesphey, Jayden Fevrier, Conor Coventry, Joe Rankin-Costello, Charlie Kelman and Tyreece Campbell coming into the XI.

Will Mannion, Reece Burke, Luke Chambers, Conor Coady, Sonny Carey, Matty Godden and Lyndon Dykes dropped to the bench, while on-loan Town right-back Harry Clarke was ineligible.

Town got off to a disastrous start, gifting the home side a goal after 44 seconds. Johnson’s poor pass inside for Dara O’Shea was intercepted by Campbell, who took it on into the area before hitting a shot from a tight angle which Christian Walton saved and pushed out to the edge of the area from where Docherty struck a low effort which deflected off O’Shea and into the net.

The home crowd delightedly celebrated the midfielder’s first goal of the season, while the Blues rued a self-inflicted wound, not for the first time.

It took until the game was approaching the quarter-hour mark for Town to start to impose themselves on the home side and create a chance, Furlong crossing deep from the right and Philogene volleying into the ground, high and wide.

Charlton were forced into an early change, left wing-back Amari’i Bell making way for Luke Chambers, no relation, having undergone treatment on the pitch.

Town were seeing most of the ball in the Addicks’ half but with too many passes going astray and with the South Londoners looking a threat on the break, while largely content to sit back and defend their box.

The Blues should have levelled in the 23rd minute when a well-worked move down the right saw Mehmeti play in the overlapping Furlong behind him and the full-back crossed low to Ivan Azon, who lost his footing and shot wide at the near post when the Spaniard should at least have found the target.

Two minutes later, a Charlton long ball down the middle caused some hesitation between Walton advanced out of his area and O’Shea before the Blues’ skipper was able to clear the danger.

On 26, after Kasey McAteer had been fouled by Chambers on the right, O’Shea rose highest to head a the free-kick into the box towards goal, but lacking the power to test home keeper Thomas Kaminski, who saved down to his right.

Although they continued to have most of the ball, the Blues didn’t threaten again until the 36th minute when they levelled.

Philogene drove forward on the left and brought the ball inside before playing it to Azor Matusiwa to his right, the Dutchman teeing-up Furlong, who took a touch before hitting a low 20-yard shot into the corner of the net to Kaminski’s right.

There was as much relief as celebration among the Town players as they made their way back to their half, Furlong having claimed his first goal since joining the club last summer, having last found the net for West Brom in March last year.

A minute after the goal, Macaulay Gillesphey was booked for a foul on Azon, then on 41 Jayden Fevrier shot into the side-netting from the right of the box as Charlton looked to restore their lead.

But Town quickly got back in the ascendancy, Azon seeing a shot blocked as the half moved into its final scheduled minute ahead of an additional seven, largely for the injury to Bell.

Injury time was held up further after Campbell underwent treatment after a clash with Furlong.

Neither side was able to threaten again before referee Bobby Madley ended a half which had got off to the worst possible start for the Blues with the gifted Charlton goal.

From there, it took Town a while to find their feet and, even though they had been careless in possession too often, they should have levelled via Azon’s chance with very few other real opportunities until Furlong netted the well-worked equaliser.

Parity restored, Charlton showed more attacking endeavour in the final minutes of the half but with no serious chances at either end and stoppages seeing the game lose its flow.

Charlton were forced into a second change at the break, Campbell making way due to the knock suffered towards the end of the first half. Dykes took over in the Addicks attack.

Town dominated the early stages of the second half, pinning the home side back in their own half as they kept the ball but without finding an opening.

On 51, the game was held up after Azon clashed heads with Sichenje and Gillesphey as they challenges for a ball in from the right. After treatment, both Charlton players were able to continue.

Once the game restarted, the Blues continued in the same manner, dominating possession and looking for a way through the massed Charlton defence.

And in the 59th minute they found it, via their 10th penalty kick of the season. Furlong made a clever run into the right of the area, Mehmeti spotting it and playing an excellent pass. Gillesphey was caught on his heels and as he sought to get back tripped the Town right-back.

Referee Madley pointed straight to the spot and there were no complaints from the Charlton players. Philogene took the kick and hit it low to Kaminski’s right, the keeper diving over it and will feel he should have stopped it.

Charlton made their third change following the goal, Sonny Carey replacing Charlie Kelman. On 61, Dykes was booked for a foul on McAteer with the Town players calling for a greater sanction.

The Blues were suddenly finding acres of space which hadn’t previously been there as the Addicks looked for a way back into the game.

Town weren’t far away from a third goal in the 64th minute, Jack Taylor finding Philogene in space on the left, the winger cutting in and hitting a shot which Kaminski palmed away to his left. Mehmeti got onto the loose ball and hit a shot which hit Chambers and went behind.

Taylor got his name in the book for a foul on Fevrier as Charlton looked to break in the 65th minute, then five minutes later the midfielder was swapped for Dan Neil, while Philogene made way for Jack Clarke.

In the 77th minute, the Blues made two further changes, Mehmeti and Azon coming off for Nunez and George Hirst, while Charlton withdrew early sub Chambers and Joe Rankin-Costelloe for Matty Godden and Harvey Knibbs.

The changes and other stoppages had led to the game losing its shape somewhat with neither team threatening. The Addicks were seeing more of the ball than earlier in the half with Town now sitting in comfortably and looking to break when they had the chance.

The Blues made their final change in the 86th minute, McAteer making way for Cedric Kipre, Johnson moving to wide right, Jacob Greaves, making his 50th appearance for the club, to left-back and the Ivorian into the centre of the defence.

The Addicks’ cause was hampered by Godden suffering an injury which left him hobbling but with all their subs used.

Charlton looked to put the Blues’ box under some pressure as the game moved into eight additional minutes, Kipre rising high to head away a dangerous Fevrier cross from the left.

Town almost made it 3-1 in the 93rd minute when Clarke played in Greaves on the left of the area and the defender crossed low for Nunez, whose first effort was sharply saved by Kaminski, the keeper then bundling the Chilean international’s second attempt wide at the post.

The Blues weren’t able to keep the ball at the Charlton end for too long, however, Furlong flicking a dangerous cross from the right behind at the far post, before Kipre made two more excellent defensive headers and Greaves another.

There was some respite for the Blues as Nunez sent Clarke away on the left but the former Sunderland man shot tamely across the face of goal.

In the final minute of time added on, Clarke was booked for simulation after being tripped by Conor Coventry as he brought the ball across the edge of the Charlton area.

That was the last action of the match, referee Madley brought the evening to an end to a huge roar from the travelling Town support.

After an awful start, the Blues had got themselves back into the game via the well-worked Furlong goal, then dominated the early stages of the second, forcing the error which led to the penalty.

From there, the backline showed the same determination and resolve that kept Norwich from creating an opportunity at Carrow Road recently to see out an important victory.

It was Town’s second comeback win of the season and their first away from home since the victory at Watford in December 2023. Charlton have now lost four in a row at the Valley and still need a point to confirm their Championship status for a second season.

Town move back to second, ahead of Millwall on goal difference, now with a single game in hand. The Blues travel to West Brom on Saturday with the Lions in action at relegated Leicester on Friday evening.

Charlton: Kaminski, Sichenje, Jones, Gillesphey, Fevrier, Coventry, Rankin-Costello (Knibbs 78), Docherty (c), Bell (Chambers 18 (Godden 78)), Kelman (Carey 60), Campbell (Dykes 46). Unused: Mannion, Burke, Coady, Berry.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Johnson, Matusiwa, Taylor (Neil 70), McAteer (Kipre 87), Mehmeti (Nunez 77), Philogene (Clarke 70), Azon (Hirst 77). Unused: Palmer, Kipre, Cajuste, Walle Egeli, Akpom. Referee: Bobby Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 19,706 (3,459).

Photo: Matchday Images