The Addicks set out on their marathon 2014/15 campaign at a hot and sunny Griffin Park on Saturday afternoon.

The newly promoted Bees attracted their best first day crowd for over forty years, while Charlton featured seven debutants in their starting line-up. Franck Moussa became the eighth when he replaced Jordan Cousins late on.

The first half was a fairly tame affair with Brentford probably having the better of things, though the better chances fell to the visitors.

George Tucudean spurned a glorious opportunity for a debut goal midway through the opening period. Released by the lively Johann Gudmundsson, Tucudean was one-on-one with David Button, but shot straight at the former Addicks stopper.

The tempo was cranked up after the break, with the visitors enjoying a purple patch. Ten minutes after the restart, Charlton came desperately close to breaking the deadlock.

Igor Vetokele got on the end of a Gudmundsson cross and Button was at full stretch to push the header onto his left-hand post. Johnnie Jackson fired the rebound narrowly wide.

Six minutes later, Stephen Henderson had to make his first meaningful save of the match when he clawed away an Andre Gray header away.

Three minutes later, the visitors were in front when Vetokele headed home an in swinging Jackson corner from the right.

Vetokele was causing Brentford real problems now and the Addicks should have sealed the win ten minutes from time. Vetokele beat Button to a ball 25-yards out and played Callum Harriott in.

With the goal at his mercy, Harriott hit the bar and was beaten to the rebound, which was scrambled to safety.

The miss was to prove costly as Bees substitute, Tommy Smith, levelled five minutes from time. Smith appeared to control the ball with his arm before shooting past Henderson with the aid of a deflection off Tal Ben Haim.

There was a late scare for the Addicks when an Alan Judge free-kick hit the top of the bar.

Bob Peeters will have been encouraged by his team’s second half performance but will probably feel they should have had the game sewn up before Smith scored.

Charlton: Henderson; Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins; Gudmundsson, (Fox 90), Buyens, Jackson, Cousins (Moussa 90); Tucudean (Harriott 62), Vetokele.

Subs (not used): Pope, Morrison, Pigott, Wilson.

Goal: Vetokele 64.

Booked: Buyens 32 (foul).

Brentford: Button; McCormack, Craig, Tarkowsk, Bidwell; Odubajo (Tebar 46), Dallas, Douglas, Pritchard (Smith 78), Judge; Gray (Proschwitz 67).

Subs (not used): Lee, Dean, Yennaris, Moore.

Booked: Douglas 90 (foul).

Goal: Smith 85.

Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Attn: 9,619.