Late drama at the Valley on Boxing Day saw Charlton rescue a point late on against Cardiff - but they still extend their winless run to six matches.

Johann Gudmundsson’s wonder strike from 25 yards cancelled out Tom Adeyemi’s header to level the sides despite the home side spending an hour with 10 men.

Callum Harriott was sent off in the 33rd minute and it looked like the Addicks would be heading for another defeat after a poor first half.

The Bluebirds spent the entire second period camped in their own half, however, and struggled to cope with Charlton despite the man advantage.

They piled forward in search of the equaliser and got their just rewards and even have a case for taking all three points after Igor Vetokele squandered a late chance.

The home side were very poor in the first half and posed no threat going forward. This was not helped by Callum Harriott’s red card in the 33rd minute to add to Charlton’s woes after conceding early on.

Cardiff took the lead in the 12th minute when Tom Adeyemi turned in a long throw from Aron Gunnarsson. The ball was launched to the far post and Charlton did not sort out their marking. Adeyemi was free at the back post to loop a header past the stranded Ethridge.

The Bluebirds nearly doubled their lead two minutes after scoring when a long throw again from Gunnarsson wasn’t cleared by the Addicks. The ball dropped to Adeyemi who blasted well over the bar.

Callum Harriott was deservedly sent off in the 33rd minute after going over the top of the ball, with his studs showing, while challenging Craig Noone. A bad first touch caused the incident with Harriott lunging in to try and win the ball back.

Charlton’s only chances were not clear cut as they struggled to get in the game.

Gunnarsson and Whittingham pulled the strings in the middle of the pitch for Cardiff with the home side's midfield chasing shadows for large periods.

Charlton’s best chance of the half came in the 38th minute when Buyens sent a ball for Tucadean to chase down the right channel. His shot from a tight angle was parried well by David Marshall.

It was a completely different story after the break and Cardiff looked like they were the side down to 10 men.

Charlton played most of the second half with three at the back to give them extra options going forward to counteract the red card.

And it worked with the Addicks on top for all of the second half, putting Cardiff under some real pressure and should have found the net sooner than they eventually did.

However, wave after wave of Charlton attacks proved fruitless and showed again that their big problem is converting chances.

Tucadean acrobatically flicked on a Gudmundsson corner in the 54th minute but the ball flicked the outside of the post and went out for a goal kick.

Charlton fans were screaming at the referee to give a Cardiff red card in the 64th minute. Tucadean was brought down by Sean Morrison 25 yards out while he was bearing down on goal, however, there was a covering defender so a yellow card was justified.

The resulting free kick rattled the outside of the Cardiff post. Gudmundsson’s powerful left foot shot left Marshall stranded but didn’t fall the right side of the upright.

Gudmundsson again couldn’t quite beat Marshall after the Cardiff keeper saved well low to his right in the 71st minute.

A quick Charlton counter attack and a nice flick from Tucadean saw the Icelandic winger one on one but he could not find the net.

Tucadean’s luck certainly wasn’t in as he also had a shot blocked off the line in the 74th minute after turning a sliced Jordan Cousins shot on goal.

There were late calls for a penalty by the home side in the 82nd minute when Tucadean’s shot appeared to bounce up and strike the hand of a Cardiff defender. Referee Mick Russell waved away the protests.

When it looked like Charlton would not score, up stepped Gudmundsson with a special strike in the 87th minute. His piledriver into the top corner got the home side their just rewards.

Igor Vetokele should have wrapped up the points in the last minute of stoppage-time. He was one on one with Marshall but skied his shot to see the game finish one all.

Charlton: Ethridge, Gomez (Onyewu 59), Jackson (Vetokele 59), Bikey-Amougou, Gudmundsson, Harriott, Buyens, Solly, Cousins, Ben Haim, Tucadean, subs- Pope, Wilson, Bulot, Fox, Ahearne-Grant.

Cardiff: Marshall, Brayford, Turner, Whittingham, Jones, Le Fondre (Harris 69), Noone, John, Gunnarsson, Adeyemi, Morrison, subs- Moore, Da Silva, Manga, Macheda, Connolly, Ralls.