Bristol City dropped deeper into trouble at the foot of the npower Championship after slumping to a seventh straight defeat.
Comfortably beaten 2-0 by Charlton Athletic at Ashton Gate, the Robins have now failed to keep a clean sheet in 18 games dating back to April 21.
Their hopes of stopping the rot were once again undermined by weak defending and manager Derek McInnes and his struggling players left the pitch to boos and jeers from unhappy supporters who are fast losing patience.
Danny Haynes returned to haunt the Robins and fired the Addicks in front after 20 minutes.
City seldom threatened an equaliser and the outcome was put beyond reasonable doubt when centre-back Michael Morrison took advantage of more feeble defending to double the lead 12 minutes into the second half.
City carried a greater threat after the arrival of substitutes Steven Davies and Jon Stead, but they finished well beaten and have now taken just one point from their last six home matches.
Confidence is at an all-time low point since McInnes took over 13 months ago and the Scot now faces a huge task to lift his team ahead of next Saturday's home game against Blackpool.
If the Ashton Gate crowd appeared anxious, City's players made a reasonable enough start despite beginning the day four points adrift of safety.
Winger Albert Adomah was at the heart of their best moments during the opening exchanges and his low centre caused consternation in Charlton ranks on 10 minutes.
The ball was allowed to travel beyond the far post to Martyn Woolford, whose goal-bound shot was brilliantly blocked by Addicks right-back Chris Solly.
City were left to rue that missed opportunity when Charlton took the lead after 20 minutes.
Allowed time and space on the edge of the penalty area, Rob Hulse picked out Dale Stephens and his low shot hit both posts before bouncing out to Haynes, whose finish from 10 yards was assured.
He ought to have put the visitors further ahead two minutes later, after seizing upon a downward header from Johnnie Jackson. But, with only keeper Tom Heaton to beat, Haynes sent his volley from close range crashing against the outside of an upright.
Stunned at falling behind, the Robins tried to respond and Ryan Taylor and Woolford combined to open up Charlton's defence, only for Sam Baldock to scuff his shot and permit Ben Hamer to make a routine save.
City's inability to clear their lines was becoming a recurring theme and Haynes, who could easily have had a hat-trick in the first half, was afforded another opportunity to embarrass his former employers shortly after the break. But his finishing let him down on this occasion, the Londoner sending his shot into the crowd.
But there was no saving the home side when they succumbed to more rank-bad defending in the 57th minute. City half cleared a corner, Bradley Pritchard swung the ball back into the mix and Taylor and Marvin Elliott both failed to clear the danger, leaving Morrison with the simple task of beating Heaton from close range.
That was the cue for McInnes to make two changes, withdrawing strikers Baldock and Taylor and sending on Steven Davies and Jon Stead in a last-ditch attempt to salvage something from the game.
City improved thereafter, without ever really threatening to find a way back into the game.
City (4-4-2): Heaton; Foster, J Wilson, Fontaine, Gibbs; Adomah, Elliott, Kilkenny, Woolford; Taylor (Davies 57), Baldock (Stead 57).
Charlton (4-4-2): Hamer; Solly, Cort, Morrison, Seaborne; Pritchard, Stephens, Kerkar (Taylor 90), Jackson; Haynes (Dervite 78), Hulse (Fuller 85).
Referee: Phil Gibbs
Attendance: 13,009
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