MATCH REACTION: McCann rages at referee after Peterborough United suffer late heartbreak

The home side scored from a last-minute penalty and then again four minutes into added time to steal a League One point from a most impressive Posh side.

Posh had taken what appeared to be a match-winning lead with a first-half goal from Gwion Edwards and then a second-half strike from top scorer Jack Marriott, his 14th goal of the season.

But McCann was raging after the game about a penalty Posh felt they should have been awarded two minutes after the second goal when Edwards was bundled over in the penalty area.

“The referee has cost us that game,” McCann stated. “It was a definite penalty when Gwion was smashed in the penalty area.

“The referee couldn’t wait to give them a penalty from a similar incident later on.

“It’s not even funny any more. It’s happening too often to us. Even last Saturday we should have had a penalty at 0-0 at Rochdale. These decisions are costing us every week.

“I am not blaming my players for anything that happened tonight. We should have been 3-0 up and then it was game over. What happened in the final few minutes shouldn’t have mattered.

“We are devastated at only drawing 2-2 at a good side like Charlton which says it all really.”

McCann kept his promise to ring the changes after a disappointing defeat at Rochdale on Saturday (November 25).

He made five alterations with Alex Penny handed his first Football League start at right back.

The draw did take Posh up to seventh, but they remain six points off the play-off places.

“We were outstanding tonight,” McCann added. “Our gameplan to keep hitting them on the counter attack worked perfectly.

“We played some great football and also defended very well. The lads that came in all played well.

“We showed tonight what a good side we are. We just need to find that consistency.

“When Marcus Maddison, Gwion Edwards, Jack Marriott and Leo Da Silva Lopes play like that they are untouchable. When the team plays like that we are capable of beating anyone. We could have been 3-0 up in the first five minutes, but we did go on to score two very good goals.

“We probably should have made more of the counter attacking situations we had, but we deserved to win tonight. The referee has cost us.

“We restricted Charlton to crosses into our penalty area. Alex Penny did very well against one of the best wingers in the league (Ricky Holmes).

“I haven’t got a cross word to say about anyone. I was proud of the way we played as a team.

“We are back up to seventh, but a little way off where we want to be. We should take confidence from this performance though.”

Posh are next in action at National League side Woking in the second round of the FA Cup on Sunday (December 3). Then it’s Southend at home in the last 32 of the Checkatrade Trophy on Wednesday, December 6.

Posh then host in-form promotion favourites Blackburn at the ABAX Stadium in gtheir next League One fixture on Saturday, December 9.