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Charlton edge out Yeovil in Cup thriller

Charlton edged into the last 16 of the FA Cup as they ended brave Yeovil's gallant run with a 3-2 win at the Valley.

The Coca-Cola League Two leaders had beaten Rotherham to earn a crack at the Barclays Premiership club, and gave a good account of themselves throughout in front of 4,000 travelling fans.

Paul Terry - his brother John, the Chelsea and England international defender, watching in the stands - struck the post during the first half with the match goalless, and then got the Glovers back in the game after Bryan Hughes had volleyed Charlton in front.

Francis Jeffers and Shaun Bartlett then gave the Addicks a two-goal cushion, only for substitute Arron Davies to set up an anxious finish with a fine strike 25 minutes from time.

Despite causing some moments of panic in the Charlton defence, Talal El Karkouri somehow keeping Phil Jevons' goalbound effort out, there was to be no fairytale ending as Alan Curbishley's men progressed to Monday's fifth-round draw.

It was some eight minutes before the first clear-cut chance of the afternoon arrived following a cagey opening.

From a throw-in on the left, Hermann Hreidarsson's centre into the six-yard box caused some concern for the Yeovil defence, and Jeffers, recalled to the starting XI, was unfortunate not to be able to get a clean strike on the loose ball before it was hacked away.

The visitors, though, were determined to make a match of it and almost took a shock lead in the 25th minute.

Terry collected the ball just inside his own half and, as the home defence backed off, carried the ball towards the penalty area before letting fly with a well-struck 22-yard drive across the goalkeeper.

Dean Kiely was beaten, but the ball struck the right-hand post, and although the rebound fell kindly for Darren Way, his follow-up effort was blocked by Luke Young.

The home side's went close in the 27th minute when Young got in behind the Yeovil backline down the right, and his low centre was whipped across the goal line.

Bartlett timed his run at the back post to perfection, only to then balloon the ball high over the bar from four yards.

Hughes fired a volley just inches over the bar after Bartlett and Murphy had combined to release the midfielder into the penalty area with some slick one-touch passing on the 18-yard line, Charlton upping the tempo as half-time approached.

And in the 37th minute they made the breakthrough, after El Karkouri sent a free-kick from just inside his own half deep into the Yeovil box.

Hreidarsson headed the ball down towards the penalty spot, where Hughes was on hand to volley smartly into the bottom corner.

Yeovil were level a minute before the break when Thomas, chasing back, eventually ended Kevin Gall's driving run - but Terry drilled the loose ball past Kiely from two yards.

In the 51st minute, Murphy got to the byline before delivering a low cross back along the six-yard box, where Jeffers nipped between defenders for a tap-in which regained Charlton's lead.

And six minutes later it was 3-1, after Thomas charged to the edge of the Yeovil box, before slipping a pass through to Bartlett.

The South African took one touch to set himself, and then fired the ball in off the post to move the Premiership side closer to the last 16.

Yeovil, though, gave themselves a lifeline with a fine strike from substitute Arron Davies with 25 minutes left.

The midfielder had not long been on for Bartosz Tarachulski when he collectedthe ball on the edge of the Charlton penalty area, and drilled an angled effort across Kiely into the far corner.

With 15 minutes to go, there was a mad scramble in the Charlton box when Davies broke clear and drew Kiely to the edge of the area.

The keeper made fine block with his legs, but the ball fell to Jevons on the left.

As he shaped to shoot, somehow El Karkouri stuck out a boot to deny the Glovers a certain equaliser - and it proved decisive as the Addicks went through to the fifth round.

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