CHARLTON’s perfect start to their League One campaign came to an end in an ugly and heated top-of-the-table encounter with Oldham at The Valley.

Scott Wagstaff became the club’s top scorer for the time being with a good finish halfway through the first period, only for a stunner from Dean Furman to peg the Addicks back just before the break.

And in a foul-tempered encounter littered with shirt-pulls, handballs, harsh challenges and off the ball incidents, the home side simply lacked the cutting edge in the final third to emerge with three points.

While the visitors looked sharper in the opening ten minutes, the first serious chance of the game came Charlton’s way courtesy of a swift break which saw Lee Martin set Wagstaff free down the left for a cross volleyed inches wide by Kyel Reid at the far post.

However, moments later the action was straight back up the other end as the Addicks failed to clear a deep delivery and gave Oumare Tounkara the space to shoot low and smack the woodwork.

With the hosts stuttering and Oldham spraying the ball around well, Tounkara had another chance inside the box only to be denied by a superb all-or-nothing challenge from Johnnie Jackson as he turned to shoot at goal.

But at the 24 minute mark Pawel Abbott nodded a long ball into the box down for strike partner Martin, who despite shouts for a penalty under pressure from away skipper Rueben Hazell managed to deflect the ball into the path of an onrushing Wagstaff to fire into the roof of the net and draw first blood.

It was a galvanising goal for the Reds who finally began to take control of the game despite withstanding some intense tackling from the visitors.

Thanks to some brave defending, in particular from ex-Southend duo Simon Francis and stand-in skipper Alan McCormack, Charlton were able to restrict their in-form foes to speculative efforts until the stroke of half-time.

With pressure on the Addicks’ goal building in the dying minutes of the half, a headed clearance from Gary Doherty fell to Furman inside the ‘D’, allowing the midfielder to unleash a cracking volley past Rob Elliot for 1-1.

Within moments of the restart Reid had the ball in the Oldham net only to have been penalised for a shove seconds prior.

However, the visitors were fully confident of being able to turn the game around and almost did so when Tounkara’s fierce shot was almost tipped over by Elliot only to land precariously on the top of the crossbar and back into play, requiring a further block from Jackson on the line.

Shortly after the hour mark there was a bizarre situation when play was stopped with two balls on the pitch, leading to a lengthy stoppage while official R Shoebridge chastised both dugouts for the incident.

A game of human pinball following a long throw into the Oldham penalty area culminated with old boy Abbott cheekily attempting a header at goal from the tightest of angles which was safely handled by Dean Brill.

Suddenly the Addicks once again found themselves vulnerable to the Latics’ counter and a slip-up from Miguel Llera, in for suspended captain Christian Dailly, gave Tounkara yet another bite of the cherry only to be denied by Elliot’s fine parry.

With fifteen minutes left to play, a long Elliot goal kick was brought down well by Martin under physical pressure from the Oldham backline but although the loan star’s cross found Abbott perfectly, the Polish forward’s first touch took the potentially crucial chance straight into the hands of Brill.

Meanwhile, straight back down the opposite end Jackson was called into last-ditch duty once again to thwart Kieran Lee following good play by substitute Warren Feeney out wide.

In the dying minutes Tounkara was the threat to Charlton again following more fine work on the right from Ritchie Jones and Feeney, but his attempt to charge down on goal was cleared at the last possible moment by Llera.

It was at this point that things spiralled out of control. The away side’s heavy-handed tactics had left the Addicks frustrated all afternoon, and after Jason Jarrett saw red for a second booking he threw a ball at Charlton manager Phil Parkinson on his way off the pitch.

Parky, understandably livid, had to be held back by his backroom staff while players began to engage in their own pull-aparts.

But the sending off, the third in as many Charlton league games this season, came too late to make a difference as both sides’ 100 per cent records came to an end.

Charlton: Elliot, Francis, Llera, Doherty, Jackson, Wagstaff, McCormack, Racon (Sodje 76), Reid, Martin, Abbott. Subs not used: Worner, Solly, Mambo, Fry, Stavrinou, Tuna. Att: 14,842