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Jordan Rhodes scored the only goal of the game to give Town a crucial win over Charlton Athletic as Town continue to fight for an automatic promotion place.

Rhodes took his tally to 35 for the season with a well-taken penalty and has broken the Post-War record for goals in a season overtaking Iwan Roberts who scored 34 goals during the 1991/92 season.

League One leaders Charlton offered very little throughout the 90 minutes and were down to ten men in the second half as Darrel Russell was shown a straight red for retaliating to Antony Kay's challenge.

The referee was lenient for most of the match with both sides putting in some rather tasty tackles at times and on another day Kay could have easily been sent off. The linesman down the Britannia Rescue side was a joke often not knowing was decision to make.

Town's on-loan midfielder Uruguayan midfielder Diego Arismendi made his first start since signing on loan from Stoke City which meant Joey Gudjonsson dropped to the bench. That was the only change to the starting XI from the side that beat Chesterfield in midweek but Calum Woods returned to the bench after been out with a groin injury.

Charlton goalkeeper Ben Hamer was the first of the two goalkeepers to be tested when he produced a smart one-handed save to deny Rhodes with a powerful header after Gary Roberts' cross from the left wing.

With just 15 minutes gone Town took the lead from the penalty spot. Rhodes sent Roberts away down the left flank and as the winger cut into the area he tricked Russell into a foul and the referee has no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Rhodes sent Hamer the wrong way as he slotted the ball into the right hand bottom corner.

Kay was lucky to stay on the field with a late challenge on a Charlton player that the referee deemed it worthy of drop-ball and giving the Town midfielder a talking to, which angered Charlton boss Chris Powell.

Bradley Wright-Phillips had a quite game but the linesman still missed the three or four times that the striker was stood in an offside position.

As the half headed towards the break Roberts' trickery fooled the Charlton defender on the edge of the box but the winger could only fired over the bar with a curling shot.

Minutes into the second half Chris Solly found Danny Hollands just inside the Town penalty area but the midfielder fired harmlessly over the bar.

Charlton found themselves down to 10 men with 56 minutes played when Russell reacted to another late challenge from Kay. As Kay brought down the Charlton midfielder it looked as though Russell deliberately caught Kay with his studs to which the referee had no hesitation in showing the visiting player a straight red. Kay was booked was his challenge and Lee Novak was booked in the fiasco for pushing Russell.

Town tried to make the extra man advantage pay off but Danny Ward could only fire straight at Hamer from the edge of the area after good work from Rhodes and Tom Clarke.

Leon Cort tested Alex Smithies in the Town goal but the goalkeeper was equal to it by tipping the ball over the bar as Cort rose highest from a long throw-in.

Rather comical moments late in the second half by the linesman down the Britannia Rescue side, the official couldn't determine whose throw-in it was and appeared to juggle with the flag before giving it to Charlton and then when Town won a clear throw-in he didn't know it was a Town throw-in until Tom Clarke picked up the ball.

Charlton was determined not to let Town break them down and chances for the home side were becoming limited but with 10 minutes to go Sean Morrison couldn't direct his header on target after beating his marker from a Town corner.

In the late minute of the match it was a heart-in-mouth moment after a Charlton free-kick was headed back across goal but Cort could only head over the bar from 6 yards out.

A solid and organised performance by Town ensured a crucial win against a side that will most likely be in the Championship come next season. It keeps Town's promotion push on the right track and still in the hunt for that 2nd place.

Sean's Star Man - Diego Arismendi
Looks composed on the ball and not afraid of putting in a tackle. His high work rate saw him help in both defence and attack.

Teams:

Town: Smithies, T Clarke, P Clarke, Morrison, Hunt, Roberts (Lee 69), Kay (Gudjonsson 69), Arismendi (Arfield 90), Ward, Rhodes, Novak.
Subs not used: Bennett, Woods.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Cort, Wiggins, Wagstaff, Russell (sent off 56), Hollands, N'Guessan (Stephens 60), Hayes (Pritchard 81), Wright-Phillips.
Subs not used: Sullivan, Cook, Taylor.

Attendance: 15,735 (1,118 away fans)
Referee: C Boyeson.