Charlton boss Alan Pardew admitted he was "surprised nobody was sent off" after 10 players were booked in Plymouth's 2-1 win.

Charlton manager Alan Pardew admitted that he was "surprised nobody was sent off" after referee Rob Styles booked 10 players in Plymouth's 2-1 win in at The Valley. First-half goals from Argyle strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Barry Hayles gave an Holloway's visitors three points to lift them above Charlton into fourth place in the Coca-Cola Championship - but it was Styles' performance which infuriated Pardew. He said: "I was surprised that nobody was sent off because that's how the game was heading. "There are cliches that are thrown out about Premier League referees coming down to Championship level and that maybe the stage isn't big enough for them. "That cliche is at his door. "The whistle never stopped and he was antagonised by everybody. It wasn't a dirty game but he upset both sets of players, fans and managers." Pardew's side were second best to Holloway's energetic side in the first period but bossed the match after the break and wasted several chances to force an equaliser.

Concerned

After defeat at Wolves on Saturday, Pardew has seen his side bullied out of two games and he admits that he is concerned about his side's lack of cutting edge. He said: "I have to face facts and we've had two bad results. We let in two soft goals and our play was great to a point but we didn't look as sharp in the final third as we have done. "There's a question mark over my side physically but we have to stand up to that. "The referee and the goalkeeper's performance are excuses that could have been taken out of the equation if we had better finishing." Plymouth boss Ian Holloway admitted that he was struggling to believe that his side were so high in the Championship table. Argyle looked a threat all game with Hayles and Ebanks-Blake ably supported by David Norris and Lee Martin from midfield but it was his side's approach which pleased Holloway. He said: "I just can't believe it to be honest.

Passion

"I loved the work ethic, we were never say die and I'm very proud of this football club. "People don't take me seriously but I care about people with a passion and this club is going places. "Us managers live and die by results and sometimes we fall on our sword but if my team continue to play like that it won't happen to me." Holloway also felt that Styles was 'over zealous' in handing out 10 bookings but also refreshingly admitted that centre-back Krisztian Timar should have been cautioned for his challenge on Svetoslav Todorov which forced the Bulgarian out with a serious knee injury. He said: "We rode our luck a little bit but the game plan was to get close and put pressure on them because the Premier League doesn't do that to you and I thought they might not be used to it. "We were full of gusto and there were a few late challenges from my players but they got there as quick as they could on the night. "I'm the worst referee of all time at five-a-side so I'm not going to criticise the referee but he was a bit over-zealous."