SAINTS will be aiming to improve on their dismal away record against Charlton this Sunday – and win their first game at the London club in more than 20 years.

Not since New Year’s Day 1990 have Saints tasted victory on the road against the Addicks.

And their record at The Valley is even worse, where they are without a win in 33 years.

The 4-2 victory on January 1, 1990, came at a time when Charlton were groundsharing with Crystal Palace, at Selhurst Park.

In fact, the Addicks have never lost at home to Saints since moving back into the renovated Valley stadium in December 1992.

But Nigel Adkins will be hoping his side can end a run of nine visits to Charlton without a win when they make the trip on Boxing Day.

Since the Addicks moved back into The Valley, Saints have lost there three times and drawn six.

That includes an embarrassing 5-0 Premier League drubbing in August 1998, shortly after Charlton had been promoted to the top flight.

But that is the only time in the last nine matches that more than one goal has separated the teams.

Charlton’s other two wins in that spell – Premier League victories in April 2003 and May 2004 – were both achieved thanks to a 2-1 scoreline.

But since then it has been draws all the way, and bookmakers aren’t likely to be offering any decent odds on that result this weekend.

The last four meetings between Saints and Charlton at The Valley have ended in stalemate.

Most of those were fairly cagey affairs, with a pair of 0-0 results and the other two finishing 1-1.

Last season, Adam Lallana fired Saints in front just before half-time, only to see his effort cancelled out by Deon Burton shortly after the interval.

But it meant that memories of the club’s last success at Charlton became even more distant.

Saints’ 1990 triumph away to Charlton was inspired mainly by Matt Le Tissier and Rod Wallace, as they helped secure a 4-2 win in the old division one.

After the hosts had taken the lead midway through the first half, Le Tissier equalised with a 30th minute free-kick.

Two minutes later, Russell Osman fired in a 30-yard thunderbolt, before Le Tissier picked out Wallace with a fine through ball in the 37th minute, allowing the striker to make it 3-1.

Wallace, below, added a fourth with 20 minutes left on the clock, after being played in by Le Tissier’s audacious back-heel pass, before Charlton secured a late consolation.

The last win at the Valley came on December 27, 1977, when Alan Ball, Phil Boyer and Ted MacDougall netted in a 3-1 victory in the old division two.

That success was even more impressive, given that Charlton had been on a run of 22 games undefeated at home going into the match.

Saints went on to win promotion at the end of that season.