Lee Bowyer felt a referee decision changed the course of the game during Charlton’s 2-1 loss at Blackpool

Charlton boss Lee Bowyer bemoaned a refereeing decision after his side fell to a late 2-1 defeat at Blackpool.

Armand Gnanduillet had edged the hosts in-front during a lacklustre first-half from the South Londoners, but they were much-improved after the interval and drew level thanks to Joe Aribo.

The visitors looked to press home their dominance as we entered the closing stages but it was the Seasiders who took the three points thanks to Nathan Delfouneso’s strike three minutes from time.

Bowyer felt that the decision not to send Blackpool’s Curtis Tilt off for a second-bookable offence in the first-period may have changed the course of the game.

“Tilt should have been sent off first-half,” explained the Addicks boss after his side fell to a first defeat in five league one games.

“He had already been booked and he rugby tackles Lyle Taylor once he’s gone past him. It’s the most blatant yellow card I’ve seen in my life. I don’t want to see anyone sent off but stick to the rules. You don’t just make them up. It’s wrong. You can say it’s cost us. Another refereeing decision.

“They go down to ten men and that’s it. We dominate the second-half with eleven v eleven. Even their manager said it was a yellow card. The fourth official said if he hadn’t have already got booked than he might have. Come on, you’re making up the rules. These things cost you.”

“First-half we started off well,” added Bowyer.

“We moved the ball and I thought OK, if we carry on doing this then we’ll win the game comfortably. But then after ten minutes we started to do what they do. We were going long. It became a dog fight. They started winning more second balls. It was just scrappy first-half. We gave them a goal-start. First-half wasn’t good enough.

“Second-half we controlled the game well. Created so many chances but we weren’t ruthless enough. They nicked it at the end. For me, once we equalised there was only one team going to win this game. It was just a matter of time for me. To concede a poor goal like that was frustrating. I don’t think we deserve that; the lads gave everything. We didn’t deserve to lose.

“That happens in football. We’ve got to learn from it. Pick them back up. They gave me everything there. First 45 minutes you can’t give a team a one-goal lead. That’s what has cost us at the end of the day.”