CONOR McAleny’s first goal for Oxford United was enough to see Michael Appleton’s side bounce back from their Emirates FA Cup exit with three precious points at the Valley.

The Everton loanee stunned former employers Charlton Athletic with a 25-yard effort which went in via the post in the 11th minute.

Phil Edwards should have doubled the lead shortly afterwards, but United then had to show plenty of defensive resolve.

The Addicks piled on the pressure after the break and struck the woodwork, before their charge was halted by a red card.

Skipper Chris Solly was dismissed for a high challenge on John Lundstram, which made the final 20 minutes more comfortable for the U’s.

But they were unable to kill off the game and only a brilliant header off the line in the final seconds from the impressive Ryan Ledson prevented Charlton from claiming a point.

Suitably relieved, the U's could reflect on a vital victory which took them up to tenth in Sky Bet League One and helped banish the memory of their painful defeat to Middlesbrough.

The teamsheet showed three changes from the Riverside on Saturday.

Joe Skarz, Liam Sercombe and McAleny came into the side as Chris Maguire, Rob Hall and Kane Hemmings dropped to the bench.

Charlton began the game one place below the U’s in the table and started strongly.

Nathan Byrne rattled the crossbar from 20 yards, while the lightning quick Stephy Mavididi burst past Chey Dunkley and tested goalkeeper Simon Eastwood before the sixth-minute mark.

United hit back in fine style, opening the scoring with their first chance of the night.

Skarz’s clever pass found McAleny just inside the Addicks half and he ran into space before unleashing a pinpoint 25-yard shot which bounced into the net off the far post.

It came at the opposite end to the noisy away fans, who had picked up where they left off on Teesside.

The home support were booing eight minutes later, when United should have doubled their advantage.

After McAleny was fouled 35 yards out, Marvin Johnson’s in-swinging free-kick found Phil Edwards unmarked, but from close range he headed over.

Charlton sought to make the pitch as big as possible when in possession as they played out from the back.

It made for a very open game and the U’s had to concentrate to keep their fluid opponents at bay.

Josh Magennis poked a Lewis Page cross wide midway through the half, but the hosts’ main threat came from Mavididi.

The 18-year-old, on loan from Arsenal, was difficult to contain and he forced a save from Eastwood with an effort from 25 yards.

Another purposeful run drew a foul from Ryan Ledson just outside the box seven minutes before the break.

Ricky Holmes’s free-kick clipped the wall and Jorge Teixeira headed the resulting corner just over the crossbar.

United remained a threat on the break, much to the home fans’ irritation.

Johnson almost nicked a second goal with the last kick of the half, but goalkeeper Declan Rudd was alert to the danger and saved at his near post.

Charlton built up a head of steam after making a double change early in the second half.

Just before the hour United needed two priceless interventions from Ledson, on Holmes and Mavididi, with the latter hitting the post from 15 yards when the ball came back into the penalty area.

Eastwood was needed to make a brave punch to prevent Magennis prodding in as the visitors came under sustained pressure.

United needed something to change the course of the game – and they got it 20 minutes from time.

Solly went in high on John Lundstram on the halfway line and referee Gavin Ward immediately showed the red card.

It took the sting out of the game for United, who quickly threw on Hall to run at the tiring ten men.

The substitute had a couple of openings, but his touch let him down from a well-worked free-kick, before Edwards fired over from the winger’s pass.

It was almost so costly, but Ledson capped off a superb individual display by heading Patrick Bauer's header off the line in the final seconds to seal United's first league win at Charlton in their history.

Charlton Ath (4-2-3-1): Rudd, Solly, Bauer, Teixeira, Page, Crofts (Botaka 81), Forster-Caskey (Watt 56), Byrne (Aribo 56), Holmes, Mavididi, Magennis.

Unused subs: Phillips, Dasilva, Jackson, Novak.

Booked: Forster-Caskey, Crofts, Bauer, Watt.

Sent off: Solly.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Skarz, Sercombe, Lundstram, Ledson, Johnson, McAleny, Martinez.

Subs used: Hemmings (Martinez 60), Hall (Sercombe 75), Maguire .

Unused subs: Stevens, Raglan, Rothwell, Ruffels.

Booked: Lundstram, McAleny, Johnson.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

Attendance: 9,101 (699 visitors).