BOSS Lee Bradbury admitted Rochdale’s last-gasp penalty was the right call from referee Carl Boyeson.

Cherries suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since September as Gary Jones handed Dale a battling victory with a 92nd-minute spot kick after Harry Arter had brought down substitute Joe Thompson.

But despite having criticised official Iain Williamson’s performance during the midweek defeat to Leyton Orient, Bradbury confessed Boyeson got the key decision right.

Bradbury said: “They made it very difficult for us and they are fighting for their lives. They showed great character and stopped us playing and with Gary Jones playing in behind Akpa Akpro, he caused us a few problems.

“I think a draw would have been a fair result, but having looked at the penalty, it was the right decision.”

Cherries were rocked inside 10 minutes when defender Stephen Purches suffered a sickening leg break in a 50/50 challenge with Jason Kennedy.

The 32-year-old was taken to hospital with an apparent double break of the tibia and fibula.

Bradbury added: “There was nothing in the challenge that we have seen to suggest any malice. It wasn’t over the top but it’s very unfortunate for Purchy.

“I think the injury affected the lads for a while, especially those who saw or heard it. But after they got that out of their minds, I thought we gave it a good go.”

The result left Cherries playing catch-up in the race for the play-offs, with Bradbury’s men now four points adrift of sixth-placed Stevenage, who have four games in hand.

Bradbury said: “It’s going to be hard for us now because the teams above us have games in hand and we will be relying on them slipping up.

“We have a very tough run of games coming up and I think once we come out of that batch of games, we will know where we are going to be.

“But I think the top six sides will come to Rochdale and get something and that could be the difference.”