Sam steals it for pessimist Pardew

The goal puts the two sides level in the Championship play-off places and serves to emphasise just how tight this season's race to the Premiership will be.

The only surprise was that it took so long for a goal to arrive after a full-blooded match which saw shots raining in from every angle and made a mockery of Charlton boss Alan Pardew's prediction.

Scroll down for more

He wrote in his programme notes. "I expect the game to be ugly and you should too," but that was far from the reality.

It was, perhaps, a warning that with such riches at stake for promotion, results are all that matter at this stage.

Instead, the game was open.

Twice in a minute Charlton might have taken the lead. Darren Ambrose's 16th-minute corner offered Madjid Bougherra a free header eight yards out only for the Algerian to fluff his contact.

Then Sam cut inside and let fly with a shot that clipped Ryan Shawcross and looped inches wide.

Stoke pressed forward less frequently, but when they did, the unpredictable Ricardo Fuller lurked with menace.

One rasping shot from the edge of the area dipped viciously as it cleared the bar.

With £2million signing Andy Gray making his debut, Charlton almost squeezed into the lead four minutes before half-time.

Another Ambrose corner was headed on by Paddy McCarthy and Zheng Zhi's outstretched leg diverted the ball on to the post.

Stoke emerged invigorated by the interval and a snapshot from Fuller 30 seconds into the second half produced a fine reaction stop low down from Nicky Weaver.

The Jamaica striker went even closer in the 56th minute, tricking his way past McCarthy before sliding a shot inches beyond the far post, with Weaver groping at thin air.

At the other end, Gray and Bougherra in turn produced fine stops from Steve Simonsen just past the hour before Chris Iwelumo somehow failed to connect with a Kelly Youga cross that sped across the six-yard area.