Alan Curbishley calls it the "spirit of the Valley" and his team transported it magically to Villa Park. Charlton surrendered their lead three times, saw their goalkeeper sent off and heard Southampton were winning. Yet they still claimed three points - and many more friends among a disbelieving audience of 38,000.

"That game was our season in a nutshell," was how Clive Mendonca described a match which encapsulated the peaks and troughs of their extraordinary Premiership campaign. If they fall next Sunday, Charlton will be paid a genuinely fond farewell. But memories are of little solace; just ask Barnsley and Swindon, recent spirited but brief visitors to the Premiership.

Curbishley's conviction was hardened by this victory in adversity. "I honestly believe we don't deserve to go down and I don't believe we will go down." He also believes Charlton's cause is supported by a cushion of goodwill. "We're everyone's favourite second side." Why? "Because we represent the Nationwide League - that league needs us to be successful because the gap is so great. Unless you've got a Jack Walker, it's very hard." Ultra-benevolent `Uncle' Jack would currently disagree, as might many Villa patrons after seeing their side make nonsense of financial disparity. Charlton's five signings this season cost £1 million less than Steve Stone alone. On this evidence Villa will struggle in the Intertoto Cup, the last ambition of their misleading season.

The fearlessness of Curbishley and his so-called journeymen is justified, for Villa typify the mediocrity of the vast majority of the Premiership. Call it poverty, if you like, because for all the raw excitement stoked by cheap goals here, it was strictly fairground attraction.

But Curbishley - at least until denouement day on Sunday - can forget the quality and feel the greater width of safety. He insists Blackburn will drop points and, more debatably, so will Southampton. It is difficult to argue with a manager who supervised a minor miracle in 11 minutes when his team were effectively back in the Nationwide.

For that time, the fates rose up against Charlton. As news of Southampton's progress filtered through the rain-swept crowd, Julian Joachim emerged to hook in Villa's third equaliser. A minute later Andy Petterson was sent off after sprinting from his area and body-checking the same striker. With no goalkeeper among the substitutes, the defender Steve Brown was called off the bench to wear the jersey. Fortunately, Brown has done the job before - if only briefly.

That experience was just enough. Brown parried Mark Draper's difficult, curling shot from the resulting free kick, saved a more routine effort and pushed one cross to safety. And fortunately for Charlton, the stand-in did not have to cope with the velocity of Danny Mills's drive that took a double deflection as it beat Michael Oakes in the last minute of ordinary time. Four fretful minutes of stoppage time extended the drama.

Charlton deserved the breaks they received, at start and finish. Gareth Barry headed into his own net after three minutes 50 seconds and Steve Watson, a shade harshly, was also dismissed by the referee Mike Riley for pulling back Martin Pringle immediately before Mills's thunderous winner. Petterson's sending-off represented the third time in the last seven games that Curbishley has lost a goalkeeper; the previous two losses put Sasa Ilic and Simon Royce out for the season.

If Petterson is third choice, one wonders where Steve Jones, a substitute 21 times this season, would rank in other Premiership clubs' pecking orders. The former Billericay striker is scarcely the most graceful mover, but he and Mendonca, according to Curbishley, "were both running on adrenaline today." Mendonca has started only two games in five months but he spoke for many of Charlton's regulars. "Personally, it's taken me years to get into the Premiership," he said. So his goal, a tribute to Jones's perseverance, was almost a collective message of defiance.

Curbishley must now transport the spirit of Villa Park back home. It sounds easier than it is; Charlton have not won at the Valley for three months. Yet Curbishley must feel that Sheffield Wednesday are a softer option than Everton, Southampton's opponents down at the Dell.

Aston Villa: Oakes, Watson, Calderwood (Vassell 61), Southgate, Wright, Stone, Draper (Ehiogu 61), Taylor, Barry, Merson, Joachim. Subs Not Used: Thompson, Samuel, Enckelman. Sent Off: Watson (89). Booked: Taylor. Goals: Barry 7, Joachim 66, 79.

Charlton Athletic: Petterson, Mills, Rufus, Tiler, Powell, Stuart, Redfearn (Barnes 83), Kinsella, Robinson (Brown 81), Jones, Mendonca (Pringle 83). Subs Not Used: Bowen, Parker. Sent Off: Petterson (80). Booked: Redfearn, Jones. Goals: Barry 3 og, Mendonca 56, Robinson 68, Mills 89.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds).