Billed as a game that both sides had something crucial to play for - Charlton with the prospect of Europe, Leicester with the challenge of avoiding the drop - it took the home side, much to the annoyance of the crowd, 45 minutes to find anything like their full potential.
It took Leicester just five minutes to claim the lead, with a goal of far higher quality than their lowly league position might suggest possible.
Collecting the ball 25 yards from goal, Marcus Bent was allowed to turn and compose himself, before guiding the deftest of chips over Dean Kiely, nestling the ball in the far corner of the net and leaving the home crowd stunned.
As if one were needed, it seemed to provide Charlton with a reason to lose all confidence, become overly defensive and generally hand all impetus to the visitors.
Paul Dickov was an ongoing thorn in the side of Alan Curbishley's men, and his niggling style and combative manner seemed to unsettle them far more than one might have expected.
Paolo Di Canio certainly allowed himself to become absurdly aggravated by Dickov and Leicester's approach, and he was lucky to escape with just a booking after a long and petulant spot of finger-wagging in the face of the usually card-happy Rob Styles just before the break.
It was the Italian however who created most of the home side's better chances.
He sent a drive thudding into the gloves of Ian Walker and then watched as Jonatan Johansson latched onto a pass and sped through, before being denied by a fine piece of goalkeeping from the former England international.
Spurred on by the introduction of Jerome Thomas at the break, in place of the ineffective Paul Konchesky, Charlton immediately began to turn things around.
Jon Fortune headed an equaliser eight minutes into the second period, and the scrappy marking from Di Canio's corner explained why Leicester find themselves sitting on the relegation trapdoor.
The last rites were served up, appropriately enough, by Di Canio, from the penalty spot, when Nikos Dabizas was sent off for dragging back Johansson after his pace carried him behind the Leicester back line.
A thundering free-kick from Les Ferdinand, two minutes from time, hurtled through the Addicks wall and earned the visitors a point, but apart from denying Charlton a much-needed victory, the importance for his side was largely academic.