Charlton recorded their second win in four days against a fellow promotion hopeful at Fratton Park on Saturday. 
A Nicky Ajose strike was enough to give the Addicks all three points, and effectively end Portsmouth’s promotion challenge.
Lee Bowyer made three changes to the team that won at Shrewsbury on Tuesday. There were recalls for Nicky Ajose and Ben Reeves, while Ahmed Kashi made his first appearance since February,.
Mark Marshall dropped to the bench, Anfernee Dijksteel was rested, and Stephy Mavididi missed out through injury.
Charlton were dominant in the first-half, and came close to breaking the deadlock after 20 minutes, but Jake Forster-Caskey’s shot was deflected for a corner.
The midfielder took the flag-kick himself, the ball eventually came back to him and his shot was hacked off the line by Nathan Thompson.
The Addicks got the goal they so richly deserved five minutes before the interval. Josh Magennis headed the ball into Ajose’s path, and the striker slid the ball past Luke McGee with his weaker left foot, to give the visitors the lead.
It was a goal that sent the travelling Charlton fans packed in behind the goal into raptures. They were magnificent all afternoon, and created a non-stop wall of noise from half-an-hour before kick-off until after the final whistle was blown.
Pompey came more into it in the second-half, but the Addicks continued to have the better of things.
Ben Reeves struck the outside of the post, and Ben Amos had to make a breathtaking save. Brett Pitman’s free-kick took a deflection and Amos had to stretch his arm back to tip the ball over the bar.
It was the sort of save that managers liken to being the equivalent of a goal.
Bowyer’s side kept their discipline and shape as the game entered it’s final stages, when the effects of Tuesday’s game on a heavy pitch began to take their toll.
The victory – magnificent though it was – did come at a cost though. Tariqe Fosu and Lewis Page had to be replaced around the hour mark.
Fosu damaged his hamstring, and is likely to miss the rest of the regular season, while Page picked up an Achilles knock.
It has been a fabulous few days for those lucky enough to have witnessed the last two games. They now have a week to catch their breath before Blackburn pitch up at The Valley.
Bowyer will also be grateful that there is no midweek game. His weary troops need to recover, there is still much to play for……..and the season may just last until the end of May.
Charlton: Amos; Konsa, Bauer, Pearce, Page (Marshall 62); Reeves, Kashi, Forster-Caskey, Fosu (Dasilva 57); Magennis, Ajose (Kaikai 90).
Subs (not used): Phillips, Lennon, Aribo, Zyro.
Goal: Ajose 40.
Booked: Kashi. 79 (foul), Dasilva 82 (foul).
Portsmouth: McGee; Thompson (O’Keefe 46), Whatmough (Burgess 46), Clarke, Haunstrup (Ronan 66); Evans, Close, Donohue, Naismith; Lowe; Pitman.
Subs (not used): Bass, Kennedy, Chaplin, Hawkins
Booked: Pitman 83 (foul), Evans 90 (foul).
Referee: Mark Heywood (Cheshire).
Attn: 19,210 (2,448 Charlton).