Fleetwood boss Graham Alexander insisted referee Gary Sutton changed the game as his side went down 4-0 to Burton.
Town keeper Scott Davies was sent off ten minutes into the second half after he appeared to bring down Burton's Jacques Maghoma inside the Fleetwood box.
But Alexander insisted it was not a penalty and that his side's heavy defeat was undeserved.
He said: "It was two teams cancelling each other out. I don't think either team was lighting up the world with their attacking play. It was two teams at the top who didn't want to give anyone an inch.
"The referee has made a decision to give the penalty, which I didn't think it was, and send off our keeper.
"It was a double whammy and left us facing an uphill battle."
Alexander insisted there had been no contact.
He said: "I've spoken to the keeper and he insists the only contact is where their player kicks him. It's not a penalty.
"But after that we had to decide whether to try and contain it or have a go and try and get something.
"In the end they've ended up catching us a few times on the break but the score line isn't a reflection of the game."
