Andy Reid was threading balls from deep for Darren Bent to run onto in the opening stages.
The game had a high tempo to it, but passes weren't precise by either side during the first 20 minutes. Charlton were looking the more likely to break the deadlock.
But as the half wore on Tom Huddlestone and Teemu Tainio began to take a hold of central midfield and on occasions Michael Dawson attacked the ball.
Despite going two goals to the good, Spurs let Charlton back into it shortly before half time but the home side came out for the second half determined to score again, and by the 65th minute the contest was over.
Martin Jol: "Charlton started well, played with two up front and one in the hole and that gave us a bit of a problem, but after 20 minutes we changed a few things and that meant we could overload them at the back and create more.
"We switched Aaron Lennon to a more central position behind our strikers to match them up, we looked dangerous and it was good to see the midfielders on the scoresheet.
"I thought Aaron was very good. He started on the flank and we couldn't get the ball to him but he was able to put them under pressure with his dribbling.
"I thought we could be dangerous with some width on that flank and after five or ten minutes it was clear they were playing with two up front - Sam and Bent, with Reid in the hole - and we matched them up with two. I had to make a choice over playing Steed Malbranque in the hole and tucking Aaron in-field, but Aaron was the more attacking player.
"It was a bit of a gamble, I have to admit that, but after a couple of minutes I saw that he was giving Charlton problems. He did what I was looking for, he pressured them, made his runs, picked the ball up on the left, drifted right - exactly what I had in mind.
"Dimitar Berbatov looked extremely dangerous, along with Aaron and Jermain Defoe - who looked sharp. We looked effective.
"Before this we hadn't converted so many chances - although we had got good results - but this was exactly what I wanted.
"On the other hand, when we got to five with time to spare, I would have liked us to move onto six or seven. We started dropping off though and we shouldn't do that.
"When Charlton arrived at our ground they really wanted to do something and had the intention to hurt us with Andy Reid playing well off the front. I had a bad night's sleep before because I knew he was in good form and capable of doing something. He did when they made it 2-1.
"I said we should not focus on the other players and worry about individuals, I said we must concentrate on ourselves. That is what we did.
"At 2-0 we were in charge but instead it was 2-1, the own goal gave them a lift and it put us a little on edge.
"But in the second half we came out and showed what we can do. It was a fantastic performance and we could have scored more.
"In the end all that was missing for me was a goal at the right end. A booking, an own goal, a penalty appeal, a goal – it would have been the full house!"
Ledley King: "We felt a big scoreline was coming, because we had only been winning games at home by one or two goals.
"That almost happened again when Charlton scored to make it 2-1 but our performance didn't warrant the game being as tight as it was at that point. The second half response was right and we managed to push on and score the goals."
Steed Malbranque: "It was my first goal for Spurs and I was very happy to have got it and for us to have got the win."
"It was a good goal because Berba gave me the ball with his header, before I touched the ball and shot quickly. I was pleased with it.
"I wanted to celebrate my first goal with the fans because there was such a good support behind the team. I wanted to be with them."
Source: TottenhamHotspur.com