REFEREE Mark Haywood took centre stage as Cherries were on the receiving end of two controversial decisions during an incident-packed clash with Charlton today.

The official, who was escorted from the pitch flanked by a posse of stewards, angered the Dean Court faithful when he allowed two hotly-disputed Charlton goals to stand.

Firstly, Haywood claimed Scott Wagstaff’s first-half opener had come off the player’s chest, with Cherries convinced the winger had handled the ball over the line.

And after goals from Marc Pugh and Danny Hollands had put Cherries in the ascendancy, Haywood again came under the spotlight after Bradley Wright-Phillips had levelled.

He allowed play to continue after Cherries substitute Jayden Stockley had appeared to have been fouled before Wright-Phillips struck eight minutes from time.

In a dramatic finale, Cherries substitute Danny Ings was denied a winner on no fewer than four separate, with Addicks goalkeeper Rob Elliot his chief tormentor.

Jon Stewart, Rhoys Wiggins and Steve Fletcher were all named in the Cherries starting line-up as boss Bradbury made three changes following the defeat at Carlisle.

Goalkeeper Stewart, who returned to training on Thursday after serving a two-week club suspension for disciplinary matters, was drafted in for first-choice Shwan Jalal.

Jalal, who has been troubled by a back problem, had an injection during the week and is only expected to be sidelined for one game.

Wiggins was restored after recovering from a buttock injury, the defender having submitted a written transfer request this week following interest from Watford.

Fletcher started up front alongside Lauri Dalla Valle, while new loan signing Donal McDermott was named among the Cherries substitutes.

Jose Semedo dragged wide the first shooting opportunity inside the second minute before Dalla Valle blazed high over the crossbar following a Fletcher knockdown.

Wiggins then clipped a free-kick over the angle of post and bar, while Liam Feeney curled an effort narrowly past the upright following a surging run down the flank.

Bradley Wright-Phillips fired well wide from distance before lofting another chance over the crossbar after jinking into the six-yard box.

Stewart beat out a swerving drive from Racon before Hollands went close to drawing first blood, the midfielder letting fly with a rasping effort from 25 yards which Charlton goalkeeper Rob Elliot pushed on to the crossbar.

Charlton opened the scoring with a hotly-contested 28th-minute goal when Wagstaff bundled the ball home at the far post, Cherries claiming the winger had applied the final touch with his hand.

However, the visitors’ lead was short-lived when Pugh pounced from close range to nod home the equaliser after Racon’s intended clearance had come back off the underside of the crossbar.

Fletcher and Pugh both went close to prodding Cherries into the lead, with Elliot kept on his toes as the hosts continued to create chances. Racon headed straight into the arms of Stewart following a cross from Chris Solly as the half drew to a close.

Dalla Valle spurned a glorious chance to test Elliot at the start of the second half, the Finnish striker ballooning his shot high into the North Stand following a Wiggins corner.

Adam Smith’s superb tackle prevented Frank Nouble from taking aim before Fletcher’s volley was cleared off the line by Wagstaff following another Wiggins corner.

Cherries took the lead following a sustained spell of pressure, with Hollands’s deflected strike after 58 minutes wrong footing Elliot and trickling into the bottom corner of the net.

Jason Pearce appeared to be wrestled to the floor by Christian Dailly as the pair challenged for a corner, although referee Haywood waved away Cherries’ appeals for a penalty.

Stewart, a spectator for much of the early part of the second half, dived full length to his left to keep out a low drive from Wright-Phillips.

Charlton’s equaliser came after referee Haywood had turned a blind eye to a foul on Jayden Cherries substitute Jayden Stockley in the lead-up to the goal.

Wright-Phillips showed no mercy as he pulled the trigger from just inside the 18-yard box, his low drive fizzing into the bottom corner of the net.

Ings raced through in the closing stages, only to stumble after he had outstripped the Charlton defence. Ings was then denied by Elliot’s save before Pugh smashed a follow-up effort against the underside of the crossbar.

A frantic finale saw Elliot again thwart Ings at the death before the goalkeeper again parried the young striker’s follow-up effort after his header had been cleared off the line.

Cherries: Stewart, Smith, Pearce, Cooper, Wiggins, Feeney (McDermott, 83), Hollands, Robinson, Pugh, Dalla Valle (Ings, 79), Fletcher (Stockley, 76).

Unused subs: Purches, Baudry, Lovell, Thomas (g/k).

Addicks: Elliot, Sully, Dailly, Llera, Bessone (Doherty, 90), Wagstaff, Semedo, Parrett (Eccleston, 76), Racon, Nouble (Anyinsah, 65), Wright-Phillips.

Unused subs: Francis, Reid, Fortune, Sullivan (g/k).

Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire).

Attendance: 7,752 (including 1,388 away supporters).