After the traumatic and disruptive week the Addicks have endured, a drubbing at Vicarage Road was always on the cards.

After a bright opening few minutes, Charlton spent much of the game on the back foot. As the first half progressed, the visitors were completely overrun.

The bright spot throughout the afternoon was the wonderful backing the team got from their fans, something acknowledged by acting boss, Damian Matthew, at the post-match press conference.

Some Addicks fans have started an online campaign, urging the Home Office to reject Guy Luzon’s work permit application. After this horror show, Luzon – watching from the stands – may be tempted to add his own name to the petition.

As well as conceding five goals, Rhoys Wiggins was called upon to head two goal bound efforts off the line, and Neil Etheridge made four top class stops to keep the score down.

Charlton fashioned a couple of chances of their own in the opening period. They fell to Johann Gudmundsson and Igor Vetokele, but the duo showed no real confidence and failed to convert.

Craig Cathcart opened the scoring after 15 minutes when he turned in Miguel Layun’s cross.

Ten minutes later, Troy Deeney broke free from Andre Bikey’s attentions to beat Etheridge.

A minute before the interval, Odion Ighalo, converted Juan Carlos Paredes’ cross to make it 3-0.

Just before the hour mark, Ighalo struck again, heading home powerfully from a right-wing corner.

The final nail in the Addicks’ coffin came deep into stoppage time when Daniel Tozser hammered home a free-kick, conceded by Bikey, from 25 yards.

The visitors were a sad and dispirited outfit by the time the final whistle sounded.

They will have little time to lick their wounds, they have now lost their last four games and have only scored twice in their last six outings.

Charlton have slipped to sixteenth, winning just twice in the last seventeen games.

The fans will expect a much improved performance at Wolverhampton next week, before the month ends with a crucial match against Rotherham at The Valley.

There is much work to be done on the training ground before then though.

Charlton: Etheridge; Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins; Wilson (Watt 46), Cousins, Buyens, Harriott; Gudmundsson, Vetokele (Church 65).

Subs (not used): Dmitrovic, Gomez, Onyewu, Fox, Tucudean.

Booked: Solly 5 (foul), Bikey 90(foul).

Watford: Gomes; Hoban, Cathcart, Angella; Paredes, Layun, Tozser, Munari (Pudil 21), Anya (Byers 82); Ighalo (Vydra 75), Deeney.

Subs (not used): Bond, Doyley, Mensah, Smith.

Goals: Cathcart 15, Deeney 25, Ighalo 44, 58, Tozser 90.

Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

Attn: 17,703 (2,024 Charlton).