Peterborough boss Ferguson: Ref allowed Charlton man to make 11 fouls before he was booked

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson was critical of referee Sam Purkiss in tonight’s 2-1 win over Charlton – claiming the official allowed Darren Pratley to make a string of fouls.

The experienced Addicks midfielder, just back from a three-match ban for his dismissal at Hull City, was booked late on.

Purkiss cautioned seven players in total with Jake Forster-Caskey, Paul Smyth and Liam Millar also carded for the visitors.

Ferguson said: “The referee set a precedent by allowing a player 11 fouls and not booking him until the 93rd minute of the game. That can’t be right. That allows a team to get away with things and fouling us. Pratley had 11 fouls in the game and didn’t get booked until the 93rd minute.

“I spoke to the referee, very calmly, just before the start of the second half and said: ‘He’s had seven fouls’. ‘Yeah, I know’… and he gave him four more. Some of the things that were going on, the ref just let it go. But the mental toughness of the players won us the game tonight against an experienced team who just wanted to make it a scrap. We showed we were fully equipped for that.

“The referee, if he looks back, has got to admit he had a poor night. Beevs got an elbow straight in the face tonight. Someone was going to get hurt tonight, because he let so much go.

“We had to really dig deep. It could arguably be the best win of the season, because of the manner of it. A very scrappy game, a very sloppy goal to give away – but we dug it out.

“I said to them at half-time that it isn’t about how pretty we look, it’s about digging out a win. The lads did it.

“My two centre-halves headed everything away in the second half.

“We’ve played on that heavy pitch three times in a week and there was no sign of tiredness from my players.”

PHOTO: KYLE ANDREWS