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Ian Evatt reckons Wanderers’ rotten luck with red cards may finally have changed in victory against Accrington Stanley.
Rosaire Longelo was sent off for a high challenge on midfielder Aaron Morley at the UniBol, after which Bolton extended their lead to 3-1 with sub Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s second goal of the game.
Referee Thomas Bramall had issued EIGHT yellow cards before that point, and Evatt admitted the decision to send off Longelo was “harsh” on his opponents.
Bolton have had some miserable moments with referees this season, including a red card for Ricardo Santos at Morecambe which was over-turned on appeal.
Evatt felt referee Bramall had given himself nowhere else to go other than to issue a straight red card to the Stanley winger.
“I was appealing for a foul because it was a foul, but I haven’t watched it back,” he said. “But I’ve seen the injury on Aaron’s leg and it’s quite high and it’s a nasty gash so he’s clearly caught him.
“But I think the ref really set his stall out with the amount of cards that he was giving all game for challenges and some of the yellows were very debatable.
“If he is giving yellow cards for tackles like that, then possibly that could be a red card but we haven’t had much fortune I don’t think with decisions this season.
“I’m sure every manager is the same but I’m pleased that we’ve managed to win the game.
"I don’t want to see players get sent off, I don’t particularly like it and maybe it was a bit harsh on them, but I think at the time we’d virtually had the game won. I think they were fatigued and our players off the bench had a real impact and impetus for us.”
Evatt admitted discussions with the Accrington coaching staff at half time had centred on the yellow cards and whether both sides would be able to keep 11 players on the pitch.
“That’s how it felt but it didn’t really feel like there was any bad tackles,” he said. “Me their bench were talking - amicably for a change – and we both felt hard done by.
“I think we were both appreciative that the referee were making bad decisions for both of us so sometimes it happens like that.
“I don’t want to see players sent off, so possibly that was unfortunate."
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