Alan Pardew is backing Luke Varney to fire Charlton back into the Premier League after the striker's double against Crystal Palace on Friday.Varney has cut a nervous figure in front of goal at times this season following his £2million summer switch from Crewe, but he took his tally to seven with an assured second-half brace to shoot down the Eagles.

"Luke had a big night," said Addicks boss Pardew.

"He works very hard for the team and you could see the joy from the other players were when he scored.

"If he believed in himself a bit more he can be a really terrific player - he sometimes doubts himself so we are really pleased for him.

"It's been a dramatic jump for him, from non-league and then a great spell at Crewe, and now he's at an ex-Premier League side.

"But he's handling it well and we are starting to see the fruits of him settling in at the club."

In a typically fiesty encounter between two south London sides with a healthy dislike for each other, Charlton laid siege on the Palace goal but had to wait an hour before Varney struck the opener.

Zheng Zhi forced a stunning reaction save from Julian Speroni, the impressive Greg Halford twice went close to a debut goal and Varney crashed a shot against a post - all before half-time.

But Varney struck in the 60th minute after being clattered from behind by Matt Lawrence on the halfway line.

Matt Holland's free-kick was flicked on by Andy Gray, and the onrushing striker rifled a left-footed shot past Speroni.

Palace captain Mark Hudson was fortunate to escape unpunished for what Pardew agreed looked a nasty two-footed challenge on Varney.

But the nippy frontman had the last laugh when he cut inside from the left and curled the ball past Speroni with Hudson floundering on the goal-line.

"It was the perfest response to Saturday's defeat at Scunthorpe," added Pardew.

"We were very disappointed then because we feel we have a good side but consistency is our problem.

"We are struggling to get a run of five or six results, but if we reach those heights every week we'll have agreat chance.

Palace, whose recent 15-game unbeaten run rocketed them towards the play-offs, are now without a win in three and in danger of slipping back off the pace.

"I was disappointed with our first half, we never got going," said boss Neil Warnock.

"I enjoyed the second half and I felt we gave them a game. But certain things went against us - I don't think it was a free-kick - Varney was backing into Lawrence.

"And the incident with Hudson - I thought Varney had two feet in the air - it was not as bad as people made out.

"We've got an honest bunch of lads but we need to create more chances. But anyone can get into the play-offs."

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