CHARLTON boss Alan Curbishley believes the relegation struggle will go right to the last match and he hasn't given up hope of surviving in the Premiership, despite admitting Saturday's draw with Rovers only really benefited Southampton.

After watching a dire struggle at The Valley, he was also quick to admit that Charlton have not helped themselves when they should have done.

"If you are a newly-promoted side you have to win games at home and we haven't won at The Valley in five and that's a devastating factor," he said. "And we've had a couple of glorious chances to win games. We missed penalties against Nottingham Forest and Leeds and led against Spurs.

"We are all down because this was another chance for us to climb out of it. But if you look at the history of the relegation tussles we have to hope it goes to the last day again.

"We are still in there and we have to try to take it to the last week. Hopefully that will be the case." Curbishley claimed he was too far away to tell whether Andy Petterson's challenge on Ashley Ward was a penalty. And he also said he was surprised when told that Carl Tiler was being reported for striking Ward after the final whistle had gone.

"Okay there was a little bit of aggression," he said of the match-long tussle between the two. "But I haven't seen that. I'll have to wait and see what happened but I don't want another trip to Lancaster Gate.

"If it is the case (that he has struck him) then I am very disappointed because it is needless."

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