In a rollercoaster game at The Valley Palace put on a brave display to earn a score draw but it was not enough as the Eagles finished the season in 18th place, just inside the relegation places.
Iain Dowie made a number of changes from the team that drew 2-2 at SelhurstPark against Southampton. Danny Butterfield replaced the suspended Gonzalo Sorondo while Ben Watson came in for Aki Riihilahti who dropped to the bench.
Palace knew that a win was the minimum requirement and with 3,000 Palace fans in full voice the Eagles pressed hard from kick-off. There were a few robust challenges in the early exchanges and it was Charlton who had the first effort on goal in the 5th minute but Bryan Hughes' long range shot was comfortably saved by Gabor Kiraly low to his right.
In the 7th minute Palace had a great chance to take the lead through Fitz Hall following a free-kick from the left. Michael Hughes' lobbed ball into the box was brought down superbly by Danny Granville and laid into the path of Hall who had his goalbound shot from brilliantly blocked by the Addicks' Player of the Season Luke Young.
It was Palace who were dominating possession in the first quarter of the match but they could not find the killer pass that would unlock the Charlton defence. At free-kicks and corners Charlton pulled every man back behind the ball as Palace searched for a goal.
In the 25th minute Watson hit a great free-kick that was parried by Dean Kiely for a corner and Wayne Routledge hit a fantastic volley from full 30 yards that forced another acrobatic save from Kiely as Palace charged forward.
In the 30th minute disaster struck for Palace as Charlton scored with their first move into the Palace box. A Radostin Kishishev through ball into the box found Bryan Hughes on the left and he was placed the ball past Kiraly left-hand side after shrugging off the attentions Butterfield.
It was a cruel blow to Palace who had been in control of the game and suddenly Charlton were in the ascendancy with Jonaton Johansson firing just wide after connecting with a Danny Murphy free-kick.
Palace charged forward with renewed vigour but there were gaps appearing in defence and Tom Soares was booked for hauling down Paul Konchesky as he ran towards goal.
As half-time approached Palace became entrenched in the Charlton half and forced a number of corners that caused confusion in the Addicks' defence but no Palace players were able to capitalise.
The second-half started much the same as the first with Palace controlling the game in the Charlton half. It was the home side however, who came closest to scoring in the first few minutes as Johansson blasted a low ball across the box that nobody could connect with.
Iain Dowie made his first change in the 55th minute as Dougie Freedman replaced Butterfield only moments after Kishishev had flashed a long-range shot wide.
Within a minute of coming on Freedman scored to make the scores 1-1. Hall headed the ball clear from defence and Charlton defender Jonathan Fortune could only head the ball into the air for Freedman to latch onto and lob the ball calmly over Kiely in the Charlton goal.
Palace once again surged forward but this time looking for a winner. Andrew Johnson's pace was worrying the Addicks but it was Freedman in the 70th minute who gave the Eagles the opportunity to take the lead as he found space on the left and his cross was handled by the unfortunate Fortune. Johnson stepped up and he calmly rolled in his 21st goal of the season in front of the Charlton supporters to send the travelling red 'n' blue army crazy.
With 11 minutes left to go Johnson fired over the bar from an acute angle as Palace defended as if their lives depended on it but in the 82nd minute Charlton equalised. A free-kick the right landed on the head of Jonathan Fortune who made amends for his two errors on the goals with a bullet header. It was a hammer blow for the Eagles who had done brilliantly to come back from a goal down.
In the 84th minute Freedman had a volley well saved as by Kiely and with only a few minutes left Darren Powell came on for Soares and the big defender went straight up front.
Aki Riihilahti came on for the last few minutes in place of Watson but it was not enough for the Eagles who after a brave fight this season finished just inside the relegation places.
Charlton Athletic: Kiely; Young, Fortune, El Karkouri, Konchesky; Kishishev, Murphy (Sam 76), Holland (Thomas 67), Hughes; Johansson, Bartlett (Rommedahl 80).
Subs not used: Andersen, Perry.
Booked: Konchesky, Fortune.
Palace: Kiraly; Butterfield (Freedman 55), Hall, Popovic, Granville; Routledge, Leigertwood, Watso (Riihilahti 89), Hughes, Soares (Powell 85); Johnson.
Subs not used: Speroni, Ventola.
Booked: Soares, Johnson.
