Gavin Ward’s decision to award Lyle Taylor a second half penalty was labelled a ‘disgrace’ by Luton’s Mick Harford, and ‘soft’ by Lee Bowyer.

Charlton were a goal down when Ward pointed to the spot as Town skipper Sonny Bradley manhandled Taylor from a throw-in.

Despite labelling the decision ‘soft,’ Bowyer believed they were unfortunate not have been given a spot-kick moments earlier as Jack Stacey challenge on Jonny Williams went unpunished.

“From where I am, for me Jonny’s one was a stone wall penalty!” said Bowyer.

“I thought Lyle’s one was soft, maybe the referee half thought he was wrong and tried to even it up; but from where I was, Jonny’s should’ve been a penalty, and Lyle’s looked soft.”

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'Absolute Disgrace'

Taylor despatched the spot-kick and got another after Igor Vetokele’s goal gave the Addicks the lead midway through the second half in the 3-1 win, but it was the awarding of the penalty that changed the game according to an irate Hatters boss.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” said Harford.

“It changed the face of the game.

“The penalty was never a penalty, it was a big mistake and without a shred of a doubt it was the wrong decision.”

Taylor’s penalty run-up has been hotly been discussed, and Bowyer had his say on his ambling run up.

“He’s good at pens, he’s got the confident to do that, personally I wouldn’t have done that.”

The three points, coupled with Sunderland’s 5-4 defeat at Coventry puts the Addicks just three points off Barnsley in second with four to play.