Charlton's Grant Basey escapes leg break after horrific challenge

"The crowd were vociferous and I felt they refereed the match. Every time they shouted for a free-kick the whistle went."

Rovers boss Paul Trollope defended Blizzard, insisting "he's not that sort of player" and that Basey was just too quick in nicking the ball away before the challenge.

Charlton later lost substitute Dave Mooney with a head injury to complete a bad night, which saw the visitors contribute to their downfall with some dismal defending.

Big centre-back Steve Elliott was left totally unmarked to volley Rovers in front following a 14th-minute corner and Paul Heffernan broke clear of a square back-line to add the second midway through the second half.

It wasn't until the sixth minute of stoppage time that Therry Racon fired Charlton's consolation from the edge of the box but that did nothing to lighten Parkinson's mood.

"We gave Rovers their two goals," he said. "How someone can be in six yards of space in your 18-yard box to score from a corner is beyond belief. It gave opponents, who were low on confidence, a huge lift.

"I was disappointed with other aspects of our play. When we pass the ball and play things simply we are a good side, but when we over-complicate we can look average and at times that's how we looked tonight.

"We need a response to this performance and will have to work hard to get it against Yeovil on Saturday."

Rovers had gone four games without a win but it was Charlton, who looked the side in trouble. Having fallen a goal behind, the visitors had to rely on Rob Elliott to stop it being 2-0 when he made a fine one-on-one stop from Andy Williams.

Rovers were then denied a blatant first-half penalty when Sam Sodje took out Chris Lines as the midfielder went to challenge for a high ball.

Sodje also cleared off the line from Heffernan and Elliott twice saved from Lines as Rovers looked quicker and more determined in the opening half.

Charlton's best chance fell to Akpo Sodje, who headed wide from Frazer Richardson's 34th minute corner. The second half featured less goalmouth action but Blizzard was just wide with a header before the ever-dangerous Heffernan, on loan from Doncaster, burst onto a long ball that glanced off Sodje's head and fired right-footed past Elliott.

Charlton couldn't create the chances to save the League One game until Racon's rasping shot at the death took a slight deflection to beat Mikkel Andersen.

There was no denying Rovers, though, and Trollope said: "I was very proud of the way all the players showed a terrific spirit, a terrific desire and commitment to the football club."