Kevin Lisbie initially cancelled out a wonder strike from Harry Kewell before a mazy Scott Parker run in injury time concluded with a toe-poked goal to give the Addicks a third successive league victory as their revival continues.

But Venables‘ five-month reign must surely be close to an end as Leeds are now a miserable 16th in the league.

Other than a creditable goalless UEFA Cup third-round draw in Malaga, this has been a week to forget for Venables and United, which started with chairman Peter Ridsdale and former manager David O’Leary continuing their feud.

Then came Venables’ thinly-veiled threat to walk away if the club’s slide - both on and off the field – continued unchecked, prior to headlines about a siege mentality at Leeds.

Friday’s annual general meeting saw Ridsdale being voted back into office, although comments regarding David Batty‘s ability to perform at the top level led to threats of legal action.

In his programme notes for this game Venables assured his critics he would not throw in the towel as he is confident the decline is not long term.

In the opening 20 minutes, and with Venables naming an unchanged side for the first time this season, Leeds certainly played with an assured air.

Their passing and movement caused Charlton problems, although the first chance came on the break as captain Gary Kelly’s sidefoot clearance in the sixth minute fell to Kewell 15 yards outside his own half.

Despite Alan Smith and Lee Bowyer as options, the Australian embarked on a surging run up field before turning Gary Rowett inside out on the edge of his own area and unleashing a left-foot drive which was inches wide of Dean Kiely’s left-hand post.

It merely served notice of his intent which followed later in the half, although the Addicks could easily have been in front by the time Kewell struck.

Shaun Bartlett rattled the crossbar with a powerful header, while Paul Robinson was called upon to make exceptional saves in turning aside a stinging Lisbie angled drive and a downward header from Jason Euell.

Charlton’s confidence, particularly on the back of two previous wins, was growing, so Kewell‘s strike three minutes before the break came out of the blue.

Kewell had only just recovered from being bundled off the ball midway inside the Charlton half when he was slipped a short pass from Stephen McPhail after Leeds had repelled the latest Addicks attack.

An innocuous push on Gary Rowett went unpunished by referee Andy D’Urso, allowing Kewell to again produce a quick burst of speed before striking a 25-yard left-foot thunderbolt beyond Kiely.

But Charlton continued to have the chances, although Robinson was again in exceptional form as he first clung onto a low, raking 20-yard strike from Euell in the only minute of first-half injury time.

Then 10 minutes after the break, as a clearance from a free-kick fell to Radostin Kishishev for a delicate 18-yard lob, the 23-year-old was forced into a backtracking tip over the crossbar.

It did not help Charlton’s cause that when gift-wrapped chances did arrive they wasted them for just 90 seconds later an unmarked Jonathan Fortune – a 20th minute substitute for the injured Mark Fish – spooned a six-yard header over from a looping Kishishev cross.

But then in the 80th minute they grabbed the equaliser when a Paul Konchesky cross was nodded down by Bartlett into the path of Lisbie for a bouncing half volley from 10 yards beyond Robinson for his first goal of the season.

It prompted a double substitution from Venables as McPhail and Bowyer made way for Michael Bridges and Robbie Fowler, the latter given a rousing reception on his senior return after spending all season on the sidelines with a hip injury

Those same supporters had also given Leeds their full backing throughout the game, but they were then silenced in injury time when Parker embarked on a wonderful solo run which took him past three challenges before stabbing the ball home past Robinson.

There were boos at the final whistle, but on this occasion no chorus of ‘Venables out‘ other than a small demonstration in the car park after the game.