West Bromwich Albion are currently experiencing what is commonly known as second season syndrome.

It is common in many walks of life and is usually associated with musicians, who find it difficult to surpass their first offering and struggle with a disease known as the difficult second album.

The Stone Roses, The Jam and The Specials all failed to live up to expectations after a sensational first album and Albion are following suit.

Mind you, it isn't exclusive to footballers and musicians, as sequels to Jaws, Police Academy and Lethal Weapon were all dreadfully sub-standard compared to the original.

Unfortunately for Albion at present, if you were to phrase their first-half performance in movie parlance, then it would be an absolute horror-show.

A rejuvenated second-half showing proved too little, too late, as Bryan Robson's men limped to their third consecutive home defeat.

Everything appeared to be fine for Albion during the summer, with an apparent set of astute signings by Robson.

Four points from the first two games lulled Albion into a false sense of security and since then they have become - to return to the musical analogy - the Black Lace of the Premiership.

Expectations have been raised amongst supporters after becoming the first team to climb out of the abyss and ensure Premiership survival despite being bottom of the table at Christmas.

However, the massed ranks at the Birmingham Road End weren't unrealistic and expecting a Champions League challenge from their team, merely a season where they weren't treading water and gasping for air.

But the noose is slowly tightening around their necks, as they are failing to prove they will be anything other than relegation fodder this season.

Disenchanted supporters vented their spleen at half time for the first occasion during this calendar year and, while they were placated by Albion's rousing second-half performance, the stench of tension hung low in the air all afternoon.

The last time supporters turned on Robson and his players was at Manchester City three days after Christmas, when they were hanging on to a 1-0 defeat.

Albion were down to ten men and fans had seen them hoist up the white flag and concede nine goals in their previous two games, so the omens weren't good.

Help was at hand though in the form of Richard Dunne, who gifted Albion an own goal with a bizarre piece of defending and the tide turned.

How Albion need a Richard Dunne slapstick moment now, as they are clutching at straws to try to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.

Stephan Andersen almost provided it for them as he leapt off his line like Superman - another sequel that wasn't as good - only to find Curtis Davies ghosting in front of him to head into an unguarded net.

Yet this proved to be a mere consolation for Albion, as they had committed hara-kiri once again in the first half.

Football is a cruel, unforgiving game as Steve Watson discovered in the first nine minutes.

The experienced Albion full-back had spoken of the need to eradicate individual errors at a press conference on Thursday if Albion were to climb the Premiership table and avoid being sucked into the bottom three.

But Watson couldn't practice what he preached and was culpable, as he clipped the heels of Jerome Thomas to concede a penalty and hand the initiative to a bullish Charlton outfit.

Danny Murphy slotted home the spot kick and then doubled their lead after half an hour with a slide rule finish following excellent work from Dennis Rommedahl.

In the interim period between Charlton's brace of goals, Chris Kirkland produced two international class saves to deny Murphy (again) and Thomas.

It was indicative of Albion's ineptitude that the sight of substitutes warming up after only 20 minutes received a standing ovation.

However, they improved markedly after the break and their gung-ho attitude almost paid rich dividends.

Davies scored and could have conceivably added to more goals to his tally, whilst switching to a 4-3-3 formation rendered Murphy redundant and allowed Albion to wrestle control of the game away from the visitors.

Ultimately though, it proved fruitless and the dilemma that Robson now faces is selecting his best 11 players.

He named an unchanged side (excluding Bradford in the Carling Cup) for the first time this season, but the paucity of good football during the firsthalf ensured it only lasted for 45 minutes.

The drawing board is a place that Albion have been to on more occasions that they would have liked this season, yet it looks as though they will be visiting it once again ahead of next week's clash against a Blackburn outfit fresh from a victory at Manchester United.

Hopefully, Albion's second season will eventually turn out to be like Oasis's second album - a masterpiece - but they will have to find a large dollop of Liam Gallagher's confidence if they are going to survive.

Bryan Robson has warned his players that they can't expect a miracle two years in succession.

Albion avoided relegation last season with an unusually low points total (34) and any repetition could prove terminal.

Robson was incandescent after a first-half performance that ranks as one of Albion's worst in the Premiership. "I hope we don't think that we have got plenty of games left, as we don't want to be playing catch-up," he said.

"We have shown a lot of slackness this season with the amount of goals we have conceded and we need to get back to basics. Thirty-five points won't be enough. We need to be looking towards at least 40 points and we need to be better."

Robson also pointed the finger of criticism at experienced full-back Steve Watson. The 31- year- old fouled Jerome Thomas after only nine minutes to concede a penalty. "Steve got too tight and allowed himself to be turned, which meant he conceded a rash challenge," continued Robson.

"We didn't take enough responsibility in the first half. If we put in a first-half like that, then the fans are entitled to be angry. You should have heard what I said at half-time!"