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Ian Evatt hopes the opening week of the season does not reflect the luck Wanderers will have with refereeing decisions.
The Bolton boss had already made representations to the PGMOL over two incidents in the opening two games in league and cup, only to find himself talking about another contentious call after Sunday afternoon’s game against Wrexham.
Referee Ben Speedie had punished both teams during the game for ‘holding’ at corners, which is an offence the PGMOL are looking to crack down on this season.
But in the final minute of the game Evatt protested that Wrexham defender Eoghan O’Connell had pulled Ricardo Santos’s shirt as they jostled for a corner.
“For me, that is a penalty” he complained. “I was told it was a mutual holding and the hold didn’t carry on for long enough but I think the whole stadium can see the shirt is over Rico’s head almost. I have had the benefit of watching that back and Rico didn’t hold their player’s shirt once.
“That is a frustration because in the opening week of the season we have been on the wrong end of three decisions that have had an impact on us, so fingers crossed that changes.”
Wanderers had already had their complaints upheld by the PGMOL in two previous games.
A challenge by Leyton Orient defender Dan Happe left Klaidi Lolos with ankle ligament damage and facing several weeks out was punished with a yellow card, the referee’s body later admitting it should have been red.
Then against Mansfield Town in the Carabao Cup a dangerous swipe by Hiram Boateng on Jay Matete was also spotted by the official but only punished with a yellow card. Evatt confirmed that later discussions with the PGMOL confirmed that the foul warranted a red card.
Wanderers will seek advice again this week over their latest gripe in an effort to better prepare their own players. Asked whether he would like to see VAR introduced at League One level, Evatt – who has been a long-time advocate of professional officials in the bottom two divisions – admitted it could be the only way to create a level playing field for clubs.
“From my perspective, I understand the fans don’t really want it throughout the pyramid,” he said. “But there was a spell last season in the FA Cup games against Luton where we had VAR and then in the same competition didn’t have it because we weren’t playing a Premier League team.
“It should be rolled out consistently throughout the whole pyramid. The Premier League isn’t more important than Championship, League One and League Two. In my opinion we should all be seen as equals.
“We are all in the professional game and the rules should be equal. If the Premier League want it then why shouldn’t we? And the weird thing is that the Premier League have the best refs. But they also get the back-up of the VAR.
“Referees who are aspiring to get to that level in the lower leagues are susceptible to more mistakes, so it doesn’t make sense in terms of consistency. And decisions like that would probably help us if we had VAR.”
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