15th November at The Valley (22,307)
Charlton Athletic 1 (0) (Hales 53): Tutt, Penfold, Warman, Bowman, Giles, D. Young, Powell, Hales, Flanagan, Hunt, Peacock. Sub. (not used) Curtis.
Sunderland 2 (1) (Holden 37 66): Montgomery, Malone, Henderson, Towers, Clarke, Moncur, Kerr, Hughes (Holden 11), Halom, Robson, Porterfield.
Referee: Jack K. Taylor (Wolverhampton)
Order of goals: S CA S
Sent off: Derek Hales was ordered off during injury time in the second half for kicking Mick Henderson.
Serious injury: Billy Hughes was carried off with a damaged leg in 7th minute after a tackle by Mark Penfold. Although it was a perfectly fair challenge, sadly the injury to Hughes was diagnosed as a double fracture.
Landmark: The match against Charlton marked Bobby Kerr's 300th successive League and Cup appearance for Sunderland.
Two goal hero Mel Holden, who had an excellent scoring record at Preston and Sunderland, died of multiple sclerosis on 2nd February 1981, aged only 26.
Former manager Jimmy Trotter attended match - his first visit to The Valley for thirteen years. Another former team boss, Bob Stokoe, was in charge of Sunderland.
ITV 'Big Match' cameras covered game for transmission on the following day.