While that sequence includes five draws and this was only their third league defeat of the season, it was an especially disappointing display against a side that had shipped nine goals in their previous two matches to teams in the lower reaches of the division.

The visitors gifted the Hornets chance after chance, before and after Luca Kjerrumgaard finally fired his side ahead from close range on 55 minutes. Arthur Okonkwo could only parry Edo Kayembe’s drive from the edge of the penalty box straight at the scorer.

That first goal was always going to be critical in this scrappy encounter, with Watford’s confidence bound to be brittle, and Charlton should have scored it nine minutes in.

Central defender Billy Koumetio initiated the move, striding confidently past a challenge in the Watford half before spreading the ball wide to Ivan Mesik on the left. The Slovakian’s cross picked out the unmarked Miles Leaburn, but the big striker’s header wide of the left post failed to match the quality of the build-up.

The Hornets created a string of openings, but contrived to miss the target with many of them. Ater Charlton’s Kayne Ramsay lost possession bringing the ball clear, Okonkwo proved equal to Krepin Diatta’s shot, and Myron Boadu then fired wide after Ramsay got into trouble again. Koumetio pulled off the tackle of the game to deny Boadu a clear opportunity in front of goal.

The French defender then volleyed a Tyreece Campbell set-up past the right-hand post at the other end.

It was an untidy game, however, and the busiest man was referee Thomas Bramall who booked eight players, including Charlton’s Danny McNamara, Oliver Skipp and Tyreece Campbell before half-time, although there was no real menace in any of the incidents.

Skipp did not emerge for the second half, probably as a precaution against a second yellow, although his defensive midfield pairing with Conor Coventry – later booked himself - was looking tired and ineffective anyway. Substitute Alan Mwamba would also receive a yellow card.

Charlton could again have gone ahead on 54 minutes when Leaburn got away from Mattie Pollock on the right. Unfortunately, his cross was just behind the arriving Karlan Grant in the middle.

Boss Nathan Jones responded to the goal by introducing Sonny Carey, Harvey Knibbs and Charlie Kelman for Coventry, Grant and McNamara, then Millenic Alli for Tyreece Campbell, but Okonkwo remained by far the busier keeper.

A goalmouth scramble saw Charlie Kelman’s close range effort blocked by Federico Ravaglia at the near post, then cleared off the line, but the Addicks attacks had a feel of desperation about them as time went on. A poor first touch by Kelman denied them another opportunity to equalise.

Jordan Zamura’s 94th minute finish from a simple ball by Rocco Vata through the overstretched Addicks defence confirmed the defeat and Charlton could probably count themselves lucky not to have lost more heavily. On recent form, 17th in the table might be a generous ranking too.

“We had seven or eight [players] that don’t come out with any real credit,” admitted manager Jones, adding that teams in trouble were welcoming the opportunity to play Charlton at the moment. “That’s a slur on me and how we prepare teams and what we demand of the players” he said.

“We had three clear-cut chances and we didn’t take those. It’s always going to be important to take the first chance with the predicament they have been in. They changed shape and have had a day or two to work on it at most, but we didn’t capitalise on that.

“We were really poor on the transition. It’s a catastrophic goal, and that’s what’s happening. We’re not defending the box well and we’re not doing the basics. We’re built on clean sheets and we’re not looking like that now.”