Sheffield Wednesday’s last three matches had seen them involved in six goal thrillers, this time the Owls’ fans had to make do with five.

The Addicks are not exactly popular in the blue half of Sheffield and this result will do nothing to increase their popularity.

Chris Solly and Callum Harriott returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Lawrie Wilson and Astrit Ajdarevic.

Simon Church retained his place up front, with Marvin Sordell coming in for Reza Ghoochannejhad.

It was a lovely sunny afternoon as the game kicked-off and the sun may have played some part in Charlton’s early problems.

Wednesday took the lead after three minutes with their first attack. A long ball from Miguel Llera deceived Michael Morrison and fell invitingly for Atdhe Nuhiu. From an acute angle, the big striker fired a shot across Hamer which went in via the far post.

The game looked up for Charlton five minutes later when Nuhiu turned provider. His ball across the box found Chris Maguire. Maguire slipped but had time to pick himself up before drilling a shot into the net at the far post.

The Addicks needed a quick response to claw their way back into the game and they got it after eleven minutes.

Callum Harriott – playing in his favoured position on the left – played Sordell in and the Bolton loanee finished with aplomb.

The game continued to be entertaining and open and the visitors restored parity just before the break. Harriott intercepted a misdirected pass by Michail Antonio, played Sordell in for the striker to put his shot beyond Chris Kirkland’s outstretched right hand.

The momentum was with Charlton now and they started the second period in the ascendency and got their reward just past the hour mark. Nuhiu turned from hero to villain and his misjudged pass presented Sordell with a one-on-one opportunity. Sordell kept his composure to slip the ball under Kirkland to, amazingly, give the Addicks the lead.

Jose Riga’s side saw the game out without any major scares to take the three valuable points.

With results elsewhere largely going their way, the win was enough for Charlton to climb to eighteenth in the table.

It was the first time since the game at Barnsley last April, that the Addicks have scored more than twice on the road. You have to go back to August, again at Oakwell, for the only other time that Charlton have scored more than once away from home this season.

Sordell’s hat-trick was the first time an Addicks player has netted a treble since Bradley Wright-Phillips’ trio of goals at Chesterfield in February 2012.

The result was a major boost to the South London club’s survival hopes and was greeted with glee by the small band of travelling fans. The biggest smile of all though, was probably on the face of director and regular away traveller, Katrien Meire.

Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Morrison, Dervite, Fox; Cousins, Poyet, Jackson, Harriott (Wilson 80); Sordell (Obika 90), Church (Ajdarević 54).

Subs (not used): Thuram-Ulien, Ghoochannejhad, Petrucci, Wood.

Goals: Sordell 11, 43, 63.

Booked: Morrison 21 (foul).

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland; Palmer (Mattock 45), Llera, Onyewu, Helan; Maguire, Coke, Lee, Antonio (Johnson 45); Nuhiu, Best.

Subs (not used): Martinez, Taylor, Corry, Lavery, Afobe.

Goals: Nuhiu 3, Maguire 8.

Booked: Maguire 8 (removing shirt), Lee 78 (foul), Helan 86 (foul).

Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland).

Attn: 20,557.