Charlton Athletic missed the chance to move into the playoff places after a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at the Valley.

Greg Halford's goal for the Addicks was cancelled out by Kevin Phillips in the first half, a result which leaves Alan Pardew's side a point off the playoff spots while the Baggies stay in fourth place.

The first chance of the game fell to Halford, who curled a 25-yard free kick inches wide of the left-hand post on 12 minutes.

Only some desperate defending from the home side denied West Brom with Phillips, Robert Koren, and Jonathan Greening all having shots blocked in the space of a few minutes.

But it was the Addicks who broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark when Darren Ambrose's free-kick was headed in by defender Halford for his first goal for the club.

Charlton held the lead for just 12 minutes as Zoltan Gera headed back across goal following a free-kick for Phillips to lash the ball in off the crossbar, for his 19th goal of the season.

Ex-Sunderland striker Phillips came agonisingly close to grabbing his second in stoppage time when his free-kick flew wide, while Sam Sodje blazed an effort over the bar for the south London club minutes later.

In a lively second half, Sodje again went close with a low strike while Ishmael Miller was inches away from converting a cross for the visitors.

Miller put the ball in the net on 70 minutes after Phillips' flick-on but it was correctly ruled out for off-side.

Hungarian midfielder Gera came close to snatching the winner for the Baggies in stoppage time after a spectacular strike from the edge of the box which went narrowly over, as the Addicks held on for a vital point.
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