Chelsea ended their recent jinx against Charlton with a 3-2 win at the Valley in the opening premiership match of the season.
The West London side came from two goals behind to snatch a dramatic victory after Charlton had played with ten men for 73 minutes of the match following the sending off of youngster Paul Konchesky.
Charlton have won the last four meetings between the two clubs completing the double over Chelsea last season and it looked at the start as though they would continue with that impressive record.
England under-21 international Konchesky fired the home side in front after seven minutes, but he then turned from hero to villain 20 minutes later when he was sent off by referee Graham Barber with a straight red card, for an alleged elbow on Enrique De Lucas.
Despite this setback Charlton surprisingly went two goals in front when an unmarked Richard Rufus headed home Claus Jensen's free-kick.
Chelsea had plenty of shots on goal and got themselves back into the match a couple of minutes before half time with a goal from Gianfranco Zola.
After the break Chelsea exploited the extra man but they had to wait until the last five minutes for the two goals that were to win them the game.
Youngster Carlton Cole who came on as a late substitute fired home with five minutes to go and in the last minute a lucky ricochet fell at Frank Lampard's feet and with only the goalkeeper to beat he scored the winner.
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri thought his team deserved to win in the end but Charlton boss Alan Curbishley said he was astonished by Konchesky's sending off which dramatically changed the game.
"Konchesky probably caught their lad but I thought he was protecting himself as they both went up for the ball and it was never worth more than a booking.
"Playing for so long in such heat with only ten men I thought we did fantastically well and it was cruel to lose the game in the circumstances."