Alan Pardew is ready to swing the axe at Charlton after Darren Randolph's error against Southampton all but cost his side a play-off place.Andy Gray's first goal for the Addicks earned them a 1-1 draw at The Valley, but they could not force the win they needed after Randolph had gifted the visitors a 10th-minute lead on his first league start of the season.

The 20-year-old, this week recalled from a loan spell at Bury with Nicky Weaver suspended, somehow spilled a speculative Stern John lob into his own net under pressure from no-one but his own defenders.

"It looks like it might have cost us although mathematically it is not over," said Pardew, whose side are now four points off the pace with three games remaining.

"I can't keep making excuses for our failure to win at home, but I think I know why and I have to put it right.

"I have told the players that over the next three games they have to show me they want to be here, otherwise I will make changes."

Randolph's nightmare came with the visitors' first meaningful attack, after Jose Semedo dragged John to the floor 25 yards out.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 keeper got down well to save Inigo Idiakez's free-kick, but Bradley Wright-Phillips kept the ball in play and crossed to John.

Trinidad & Tobago striker John hooked back towards goal and Randolph looked to have gathered the ball cleanly in the air, only to drop it over his own goal-line as he landed on team-mate Patrick McCarthy.

Randolph, whose only other league appearance came in the final game of last season against Liverpool, looked crestfallen while John sheepishly took the acclaim of his team-mates.

Gray, a £2million January signing from Burnley finally broke his duck at the 13th attempt when he rose highest at the far post to head home Lee Cook's 69th-minute corner.

But Saints keeper Richard Wright pulled off a stunning second-half save to deny Darren Ambrose what could have been a priceless winner.

"Certainly I felt in the first half the goal affected us," added Pardew.

"It was a poor goal to concede and Darren probably should have taken the safe option and put it over the bar.

"But we made changes and we were much better in the second half. But unfortunately at home this year getting the second goal has been difficult for us and that is why we are where we are."

A point nudges Saints closer to survival, but boss Nigel Pearson is not counting his chickens.

"I still think it's going to go to the last week and we have to stay calm and be resolute," said Pearson.

"Alan might think they should have won but I thought we deserved something out of the game.

"It was two sides doing all they could to get the win. It was a pretty committed game from both sides, my team have had a real go and I can't criticise them.

"It's another point which edges us closer but there is still lots of work to be done. I don't think you can set a points target - we just have to try to win every game we play."

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