Darren Bent saved manager Iain Dowie another night of anguish at The Valley with a two-yard tap-in for his fourth goal of the season in Charlton Athletic's unimpressive Carling Cup success against battling Carlisle United.
After four defeats in five Premiership matches under new boss Dowie, Charlton badly needed to avoid a second-round banana skin against the newly-promoted League One outfit.
But their injury-hit side, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink missing from the team defeated by Portsmouth on Saturday, and defender Nathan Ashton, 19, making his debut, passed up chance after chance until England squad striker Bent, who had enough opportunities to have registered a hat-trick, struck in the 57th minute.
The breakthrough was a long time coming as the Addicks - still without eight first-teamers under treatment - betrayed an alarming lack of confidence with their passing and finishing.
Marcus Bent's header brushed the outside of a post from a Darren Ambrose cross after Charlton dominated the opening 13 minutes without threatening the Carlisle keeper.
Amady Faye put another good heading chance wide from Dennis Rommedahl's cross four minutes later before Charlton had a scare when Chris Lumsdon's goal-bound shot deflected off Radostin Kishishev for a corner.
Darren Bent went close with a drive from outside the area forcing goalkeeper Tony Williams to turn it behind but their best two chances of the half came in the last 16 minutes.
Amady Faye stumbled through a challenge in the area to set up the unmarked Ambrose whose shot cannoned away off the crossbar.
Then England striker Darren Bent's first touch betrayed him when Kishishev's pass sent him clear and Williams was able to make a brave save at his feet to smother the opportunity.
Carlisle's confidence grew along with the frustration of a sparse home crowd as Rommedahl's drive was deflected wide and Marcus Bent tried dismally to set up namesake Darren instead of going for goal with a far post header.
Lumsdon, always willing to shoot, was only just off target for Carlisle as Charlton, jeered off at the end of the first half, made a ragged start to the second.
They were reduced to screaming for a penalty when Rommedahl's cross struck defender Zigor Aranalde on the arm in the 52nd minute.
And they were lucky to escape going behind three minutes later when Simon Hackney laid the ball back for skipper Peter Murphy to drill against the bar.
But Darren Bent finally spared Charlton's blushes by tapping in from two yards after Rommedahl's cross-shot was parried by Williams in the 57th minute.
He should have made it two when clean through five minutes later but fired over the bar with only Williams to beat.
And five minutes from time Bent whistled a curling free kick from 20 yards just over the bar.
