PAUL Warne felt the stoppage-time penalty awarded to Colchester United was a ‘bit light’ following Milton Keynes Dons’ 1-0 defeat at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Jack Payne struck home the U’s winner from the spot in the fourth minute of time added on to win it for the hosts, after MK Dons substitute Connor Lemonheigh-Evans was adjudged by referee Stephen Parkinson to have fouled Kyreece Lisbie in the box.
Warne said: “I said to the ref at half-time that I don’t like the crowd making decisions every time the ball was in that corner and I just thought the penalty was a bit light.
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“It was a bit panto, wasn’t it?
“I just thought the crowd went mental and there’s loads of jumping around – no doubt I would, if it was for my team.
“I do understand why the penalty was given, I’m not a baby about it.
“But I’ve seen them definitely not given and I’ve seen them given, so unfortunately for us we were on the wrong side of it, in a game that lacked virtually everything that you’d want to go and watch.
“It wasn’t the best game of football and I don’t know why the pitch hadn’t been watered.
“It was dry as a bone so the ball was just bouncing around everywhere, so no team really put their foot on the ball, I don’t think.
“It wasn’t a great game although I did think we had two or three pretty good chances to score.
“Rush [Hepburn-Murphy] obviously had the best one; we had another one when Rush broke the line across the six-yard line.
“In fairness, my honest opinion is that I don’t think either team probably did enough to win it.
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“If that’s the case and you just put a point in your top pocket then you do but we made all the changes to win it.
“We did as many positive subs as we could and I thought we were much better second half but unfortunately, we didn’t get the goal in the end.”
MK Dons’ defeat at Colchester ended their four-match unbeaten run and leaves them three points adrift of the League Two automatic promotion places.
“I said to the lads before the game that I personally felt it would come down to who wants it the most,” added former Derby County and Rotherham United boss Warne.
“Take tactics out of it; who wants it enough, who wants it the most, bouncing balls, tackles, all of that and it will come down to a set piece goal.
“That’s what I thought and I wasn’t a million miles off.
“When you’re not at your best away from home and you get a gilt-edged chance, you need to take it to win, that’s the truth.
“No-one misses on purpose and I thought Rush was one of our outstanding performers today.
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“I was really pleased with him and he deserved a goal for his efforts but it wasn’t to be.
“It was hugely disappointing to concede that late on and especially in that manner, so it makes the defeat a bit uglier in your throat.
“But I always say, the next game is in two days’ time – we need to perform better but we win Sunday [against Chesterfield] and it’s a completely different game of football and we’re cooking on gas again.
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“But this schedule is just a joke and all of the managers are saying the same thing.
“To lose Marv [Ekpiteta] with what looks like a hamstring is a bad day for us.”
