Oxford United should have gone down to nine men and their goal wiped off in their draw with Charlton, according to Lee Bowyer.

The visitors saw four of their players booked inside an hour as defender Rob Dickie escaped a second yellow after committing two fouls in just minutes.

And after Josh Cullen suffered an injury during a clash with Ricky Holmes, substitute Gavin Whyte struck the equaliser on the ensuing counter-attack.

Bowyer believes play should've been stopped because of the head injury but play was allowed to go on.

READ: Karl Robinson insists former winger Ricky Holmes was told 'he had to go'

When asked whether Dickie should’ve been sent off, he said: “He should've been, so should the left back [Josh Ruffels].

“Our right back Anfernee [Dijksteel] goes past their left back in the first five minutes, just about to run into the box, the left back pulls him back, no booking.

“Then he makes a bad tackle on one of our other players - I don't know - in the second half, yellow card. So he should be off.

“The centre half, the one you're asking me about [Dickie], he gets booked for pulling Lyle back. In and around the 18 yard box.

“Less than five minutes later, exactly the same scenario - it's like you rewound it and then showed the same clip again - and he doesn't get booked.

“The left back should've been booked in the first five minutes, the centre half did get booked for the first pull back, and then he didn't get booked for exactly the same thing two minutes later.

“I don't want to see people get booked or sent off but if you're saying I'm doing things by the rules - the law - then you have to abide by them [as well]. It can't change from game to game – in my eye, in my opinion.”

READ: Player ratings from Charlton's draw with Oxford United

Cullen suffered a busted lip after a hefty 50-50 challenge with former Addick Ricky Holmes, and was seen clutching his face following the clash.

But Oxford were able to break on the counter-attack as Whyte, who was introduced just four minutes earlier, beat goalkeeper Jed Steer with a top-corner finish.

Bowyer insists referee Dean Whitestone knew Cullen had a head injury, after speaking with the fourth official on the touchline, but didn't stop the game.

He added: “Josh Cullen's lying down and holding his face. We say to the fourth official, 'it's a head injury'. The fourth official is telling the referee, 'it's a head injury', but he just carries on.

“This referee knew it was a head injury because I heard the fourth official telling him when they're [Oxford] attacking.

"That's the rule. If it's a head injury, you have to stop the play.

"Did he stop the play? No. Should that goal have stood? No.

“I'm not saying it's an easy job, because it isn't. I'm not saying anything bad, I'm just telling you how it is and how it was.”