Ashley Cole made his Chelsea debut but it was fellow defender Ricardo Carvalho who grabbed the glory in a 2-1 victory for the Blues.
Cole started his Chelsea career on the bench and had been on the pitch for only a few seconds when Carvalho grabbed the winner with a thumping header.
Didier Drogba had fired the home team into a sixth-minute lead but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink equalised for Charlton against his former club. Hasselbaink refused to celebrate his goal and the Chelsea fans actually applauded him as he made his way back to the centre.
Chelsea took the lead in the match after only six minutes.
Michael Ballack, on his home debut, met Lampard's corner with a powerful diving header which was destined for the bottom corner but was blocked by Bryan Hughes.
The rebound fell for Drogba who forced the ball into the net for his third of the season.
Andriy Shevchenko should have given Chelsea a two-goal cushion before the break when Bridge landed a deep left-wing cross on his head. The expert Ukraine marksman looked certain to score as he hung in the air but headed the ball straight at Carson.
Charlton made them pay for their wastefulness when Hasselbaink stunned his former club with an equaliser in the 54th minute. Rommedahl sped down the right and turned a pass in-field. Carvalho mistimed an interception leaving Hasselbaink with time to guide his shot into the bottom corner.
Hasselbaink, who spent four years at Stamford Bridge before moving to Middlesbrough, refused to celebrate his goal. Instead, the Dutch striker touched the turf and crossed himself. The Chelsea fans applauded him and he gave them a wave.
Chelsea went back in front when Charlton were down to 10 men. Souleymane Diawara had hobbled off before a corner and there was no sub on when Carvalho leapt to head Lampard's kick past Carson with the help of a deflection of the head of Amady Faye.
Marcus Bent eventually came on for Diawara and soon had the ball in the Chelsea net but it was ruled out by referee Alan Wiley for handball.
Wiley gave Chelsea a late penalty when Talal El Karkouri was adjudged to have shoved Salomon Kalou off the ball but Lampard missed the spot-kick. Carson saved the well-struck shot and Lampard has now missed three of his last four penalties for club and country.
