Albion 0 - Charlton 2

If you had offered Gus Poyet three points from his baptism of fire against the ‘big four’ of League One he would probably not have been too disappointed.

Unfortunately for Albion’s first foreign manager expectations were artificially raised by an opening victory at Southampton.

The Seagulls have come back down to earth with a bump since then, Charlton the latest team to demonstrate the task Poyet faces in transforming them from the strugglers they are now into promotion candidates by next season.

Albion were the better side for half an hour before two goals in the space of eight minutes gave Charlton an ultimately cosy first away win since August.

The Seagulls have now been comfortably second best against Leeds, Norwich and Charlton in succession, conceding nine goals and scoring just one in the process.

Poyet made three changes to the team which edged past Rushden and Diamonds in the FA Cup on Saturday.

James Tunnicliffe, Gary Dicker and Glenn Murray returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Adam Virgo, Kevin McLeod and Liam Dickinson.

Gavin Hoyte was retained at right-back and Alan Navarro in midfield for only his second league start since August so Andrew Whing and Dean Cox had to settle for a place on the bench.

They were joined by Jim McNulty, back in the squad after a recurrence of ankle trouble.

Charlton, 4-2 winners at home to Bristol Rovers on their previous outing last Tuesday made four changes, three of them in defence.

Rob Elliot returned from injury in goal for departed loan signing Carl Ikeme and Sam Sodje returned from a ban at centre half at the expense of Miguel Llera.

Kelly Youga failed a fitness test on a knee injury and, with regular right-back Frazer Richardson still ruled out, Elliot Omozusi took over.

Scott Wagstaff was given his first league start on the left wing in preference to Jonjo Shelvey.

With Navarro in the side there was a revised role for captain Andrew Crofts against the club for whom one of Poyet’s sons plays for the under-16s.

Crofts was tucked in on the right side of midfield, marshalling the same area as his opposite number for Charlton, the influential Nicky Bailey.

It took a while for the game to warm up on a crisp evening but Albion were desperately unlucky not to sieze the initiative in the 17th minute.

Tunnicliffe met Elliot Bennett’s corner to the near post with a firm header which crashed against the underside of the crossbar.

It emphasised the value of exploiting Tunnicliffe’s height from set-pieces, rather than him taking long throws as was the case earlier in the season.

The flow of the first half was not helped by referee Gavin Ward making a meal of dealing with the kind of pushing and shoving inside the box which is part and parcel of the game nowadays from free-kicks.

Albion were on the front foot in the opening half-hour but they almost fell behind when Bailey’s raking pass was headed up and backwards by the retreating Tommy Elphick, making his 100th league appearance for the club.

Deon Burton stretched to reach the loose ball and could not get any purchase on his volley as Graeme Smith advanced off his line.

It was merely a temporary reprieve for the Seagulls, Burton giving Charlton a 29th-minute lead with a fine header from a free-kick by Bailey from the right flank.

It was another disappointing goal to concede for Albion’s leaking defence and worse followed.

The deficit doubled eight minutes later, Lloyd Sam releasing the overlapping Grant Basey for a driven cross which eventually fell to Wagstaff to tuck home.

Charlton were flattered by their advantage, although the build-up to their second goal was evidence of their quality.

Burton could have put the match beyond Albion’s reach just before the break when he scuffed wide a volley at the far post from a cross by Omozusi.

Albion tried to force the pace again after the break but Charlton continued to look solid at the back.

Bennett, switched to the right wing, tried to find Glenn Murray with a cross which was cut out by the impressive Sodje.

The Seagulls needed a lift from somewhere and Poyet made a couple of like-for-like substitutions in the search for a goal to re-ignite his team’s hopes.

McNulty was introduced to warm applause for Adam El-Abd, his first appearance since mid-October.

Dickinson, fresh from his two goals against Rushden, replaced the well-shackled Forster. Chances remained hard to come by at both ends of the pitch, with Charlton content to sit on their healthy cushion.

Crofts directed a header from Dickinson’s cross straight at Elliot, who became the sixth player cautioned by the fussy Ward for taking too long over a goalkick.

That was ironic really, because nobody delayed play more than the referee.

Albion (4-4-2): Smith; Hoyte, Elphick, Tunnicliffe, El-Abd (McNulty, 56); Crofts, Navarro, Dicker (C Davies, 86), Bennett; Murray, Forster (Dickinson, 61). Subs not used: Whing, Cox, Virgo, Pelling.

Scorers: None.

Yellow Cards: El-Abd (3, unsporting behaviour), Elphick (28, foul), Dicker (55, foul).

Charlton: (4-4-2): Elliot; Omozusi, Dailly, S Sodje, Basey; Sam, Semedo, Bailey, Wagstaff; Burton (A Sodje, 75), Mooney (McLeod, 87). Subs not used: Llera, Shelvey, Racon, Spring, Randolf.

Scorers: Burton (29), Wagstaff (37).

Yellow Cards: S Sodje (3, unsporting behaviour), Semedo (70, foul), Elliot (72, time wasting), Mooney (86, time wasting).