We weren't at our best - Parky

Phil Parkinson conceded his side wasn't at its best after Charlton slipped to a 3-1 reverse at Carlisle United on Saturday.

Graham Kavanagh crashed home two terrific second-half strikes for the Cumbrians after Ian Harte's controversial penalty follow-up was cancelled out by Deon Burton, also from 12 yards.

Parkinson, who was sent to the stands in the aftermath of the hosts' opening goal, said: "We've got beaten by a debatable penalty and two fantastic finishes from Kavanagh, which gave the home team and the home crowd a fantastic lift.

"I can't fault our attitude, but on the day we didn't play as well as we have been doing.”

After a largely uneventful opening period, the game exploded into life in the final five minutes as the teams traded penalties.

First referee Mark Haywood awarded the hosts a contentious penalty for an apparent foul by Deon Burton in the box.

The natives had appealed more for a spot-kick for a push by Sam Sodje seconds earlier, and although debutant keeper Carl Ikeme saved from ex-Addicks trialist Harte, the defender was quickest to the rebound and bundled the ball over the line.

Parkinson, frustrated that Harte had got to the loose ball first, was sent to the stands before the restart, and he said: "I was annoyed that it was a penalty and I was also annoyed we didn't follow it in.

"I lost my cool, which is not good. It's a passionate game and sometimes those things happen.

"That decision hasn't cost us the game today, but why he gave that penalty I'm really not sure.

"I've asked him [Haywood]. He said he felt there was a push in there. It just seemed to be so quick, it was as if he'd almost made his mind up to award a penalty before the ball had come into the box."

Despite Carlisle's opinions to the contrary, Parkinson said the spot-kick that went his side's way in injury-time was the right decision.

"It was a definite penalty, and we were always going to get it," he said. "But today we didn't play as well as we can do.

"We had spells where we did play OK. I felt we were careless in possession at times, though, and gave the ball away cheaply and got punished for it.

"We've just got to take it on the chin and move on to next week."

Parkinson watched on from the directors' box in the second period, and would have got a good view of Kavanagh's cracking strikes that ultimately won the day for the visitors.

"They were two goals that could have graced the Premier League. Of course that gave them a lift and they raised their game," he continued.

"We perhaps didn't respond to it as well as we could. All in all, it's been a disappointing day for us.

"It's a long old journey to come up and we wanted to get back on the bus with a win. But it wasn't to be. We've got to improve on things that we did on the day and we will do that."

Of his two newcomers, Ikeme and Elliot Omozusi, Parkinson added: "I thought Carl did well and I thought Elliot played well.

"Obviously with Elliot he was always going to tire towards the end of the game as he was lacking in match fitness."

Charlton retained their position in a promotion place thanks to Millwall's victory against Colchester United, so the Addicks sit in front of Milton Keynes Dons on goal difference ahead of the side's Valley meeting in a fortnight.

Before that, Parkinson and his side will be involved in knock-out action, at Northwich Victoria in the FA Cup first round next Sunday, before travelling to Southampton in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy the following midweek.

"The fact we are second going into the two cup games is nice," said Parkinson. "But we've just been beaten 3-1 at Carlisle and my thoughts are now on what we can do better, and we want to put on a better show in our next game.

"Any defeat is tough to take. We've got high expectations at Charlton and we are disappointed by today's result.

"We are not going to get carried away with it; we've just got to make sure that the things we spoke about in the dressing room about what we could do better we put into practice."

When questioned about whether the cup clashes are a welcome break from League One action, Parkinson said: "It is, and we've obviously spoken about that.

"A win would have set us up nicely. We didn't get it and that's it. I'm not going to speak about the lads' attitude and application as all the way through the season it's been excellent.

"Today it didn't go for us. We got beaten by a bizarre penalty award, and two excellent goals."