Charlton Athletic 2-0 Middlesbrough: Addicks pile the misery on Boro, as Championship strugglers win at The Valley

Charlton fans might have marked Sunday as the club’s ‘funeral’, but Jose Riga’s side showed they might have life left in them yet with a 2-0 win over their fellow crisis club Middlesbrough.

Jorge Teixeira and Callum Harriott struck in the second half to earn a hard-fought victory on a day of protest at The Valley as Boro gave what could be a worrying glimpse of life after Aitor Karanka.

The Spanish manager was absent from the game, replaced by assistant Steve Agnew, and is facing the sack in talks in the coming days after a bust-up with his squad. 

Charlton fans protested the ownership of Roland Duchatelet prior to their side's win over Middlesbrough

Supporters held a mock funeral of the club before kick-off but Charlton's players showed they are not yet dead

Jorge Teixeira headed home the opening goal in the 57th minute of the clash at The Valley

Second-bottom Charlton, meanwhile, are now within five points of safety with this shock win.

At least Karanka has the backing of the fans - an ‘Aitor forever’ flag hung in front of the away following throughout the game. The same support is not exactly offered from the home end towards Charlton owner Roland Duchatelet.

Play was stopped after just 12 seconds at The Valley when black-and-white beach balls rained down on the pitch as part of a huge protest - and the game was delayed five further times as fans’ demonstrations boiled over.

The day had started with a mock funeral procession outside the stadium, where hundreds of protestors followed a coffin said to ‘represent the hopes and dreams of Charlton fans under Duchatelet’.

On the field, the early outlook for the hosts resembled that of the mournful protest. Jose Riga’s side were second-best in a first half that lacked any real rhythm even with Middlesbrough creating minimal chances.

Stewart Downing, whose summer signing from West Ham leads the reasons behind Karanka’s bust-up with his squad, had a couple of early crosses easily cleared with Jordan Rhodes unable to offer a real threat in the area. 

The match was delayed after supporters threw black and white beach balls onto the pitch in south east London

But their gloom was lifted by Teixeira, who laid the foundations for a surprise victory against Boro

The visitors did not have manager Aitor Karanka in the dug-out after he walked out on the squad this week

Steve Agnew took temporary control of first-team affairs but was unable to inspire his team to victory

Gaston Ramirez looked to breathe some life into the game on 23 minutes, breaking into the box past a couple of challenges before being stopped in his tracks by what he thought was the referee’s whistle.

The only problem was, it wasn’t. The shrill sound had in fact come from the crowd, again as part of a protest that eventually saw referee Darren Deadman - appropriately named on the day of Charlton’s ‘funeral’ - stop the game again.

The hosts hit back with a shot from Johann Gudmundsson after Ademola Lookman’s tidy lay-off but Icelandic winger’s low effort was easily stopped by Dimi Konstantopoulos.

All the hold-ups led to five minutes additional time at the end of the first half and it was almost Charlton’s undoing when Nick Pope had to save smartly to prevent a Rod Fanni own goal from a yard out.

Widespread whistles would interrupt the start of the second half but Boro were steadily finding more of a way forward.

Rhodes’ hesitation cost him a chance inside the Addicks box when Marco Motta fought back to deny the striker, while Ramirez and Albert Adomah were looking increasingly dangerous on the ball.

The latter’s cross 10 minutes into the second period found Rhodes unmarked and onside from deep on the left but the subsequent header was straight at Pope.

But then, on 57 minutes, Charlton came to life. Stand-in skipper Jordan Cousins’ shot from just outside the box was deflected wide by Adam Clayton and, from the resulting Gudmundsson corner, Teixeira leapt highest to power a header past the helpless Konstantopoulous.

The match was interrupted by several supporters entering the field of play to protest Charlton's ownership

But Addicks fans could at least spare a smile when Callum Harriott added a second goal with 10 minutes left

Protesting fans had to be hauled from the pitch by multiple stewards after rowing with their own players in the subsequent celebrations - a reminder that nothing is ever completely joyous at The Valley these days.

Fanni could have added a second moments later at another set-piece but Konstantopoulos came out on top in a six-yard box scramble with the centre back.

Managerless Boro stepped up the tempo at last. Pope saved brilliantly from Dael Fry’s header at the end of a Downing cross and then again to deny an Adomah drive.

The Charlton stopper than had to tip over his own crossbar from Ramirez’s free-kick with the result still very much under question.

Boro goalkeeping coach Leo Percovich approached fans wearing a training top bearing Karanka's initials

On 74 minutes, hundreds of supporters walked out - a nod to the 74 goals their side have conceded this season - but those who did missed Harriott clinching the victory.

The 22-year-old broke into the box before battering a low, left-foot finish through Konstantopoulous to make it 2-0. No pitch invaders this time, though Harriott was booked for removing his shirt.

The protests continued after full-time inside and outside the ground.

And so, on to talks of the future this week. Boro have a man on the way out that they don’t want to lose, while Charlton are desperate to get rid of a man who refuses to sell up.

It seems unlikely that either support base will be satisfied.

Charlton manager Jose RIga celebrates his side's win with goalscorer Harriott at the full-time whistle