Robert Earnshaw came off the bench to fire in a second-half hat-trick as West Brom boosted their hopes of beating the Barclays Premiership drop with an unlikely win at Charlton.
Geoff Horsfield had put the Baggies - without an away win all season - ahead on nine minutes.
Charlton are chasing a UEFA Cup spot and rallied to level through Jonatan Johansson, before defender Talal El Karkouri was then dismissed for a two-footed challenge on Zoltan Gera.
West Brom's extra man finally counted when substitute Earnshaw - a £3million buy from Cardiff - put them back in front with 17 minutes left and then made sure of the win with two goals in the last six minutes.
The Baggies started the game more like Premiership contenders than relegation candidates and after Dean Kiely had made smart saves from Ronnie Wallwork and Jonathan Greening, they took a deserved lead.
Greening's cross from the left touchline was only half cleared by Hermann Hreidarsson, allowing Martin Albrechtsen to head the ball back into the right side of the penalty box. Gera cleverly hooked it back across goal, where the unmarked Horsfield powered a diving header into the top corner.
It was no more than Bryan Robson's men had deserved, but they had 'keeper Russell Hoult to thank for keeping the scores level in the 15th minute.
A long punt up field had the Baggies defence chasing back, and Thomas Gaardsoe's tame header was short, allowing Johansson to nip in on goal. The Finland forward failed to make good contact with the bouncing ball, hitting his shot into the ground, and Hoult was able to claw it behind.
Charlton were level in the 24th minute when Jerome Thomas' through ball released Johansson. Hoult came racing out of his area, and slid to make a tackle. The ball bounced back goalwards off the Charlton man, who carried on his run into the area and coolly stroked into the net.
Then, in the 29th minute, Charlton suddenly found themselves down to 10 men when El Karkouri slid in on West Brom's Gera with both feet raised, leaving the midfielder in a heap on the floor.
Referee Mark Halsey, a late replacement for Howard Webb, took a moment to separate a melee of players from both sides before showing the Moroccan a red card.
Baggies boss Bryan Robson decided to make a tactical switch in the 63rd minute, as Earnshaw was introduced for on-loan Manchester United midfielder Kieran Richardson - and West Brom went with three up front.
As the match entered the final 20 minutes, Jason Euell came on for Johansson, but moments later the Baggies were back in front.
Robinson swung over a deep cross into the Charlton area from the left. Horsfield got up highest at the back post to nod the ball into the six-yard area, where Earnshaw dispatched it past Kiely.
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley sent on Dennis Rommedahl, for Murphy and then Bryan Hughes for Bartlett.
Any hopes of a comeback were ended when Earnshaw beat the offside trap to slot past Kiely. And the Wales striker then completed his remarkable hat-trick from the penalty spot after Hughes had brought down Richard Chaplow.
