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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
John McDougall

Barnsley camp make towel tactics claim & what Bolton Wanderers did to stop them in FA Cup clash

Barnsley's Tom Edwards says Bolton Wanderers put their towels in a puddle during their FA Cup victory over the Whites to put an end to their long throw-ins.

The match last weekend was fewer than six minutes old when Bolton skipper Ricardo Santos inadvertantly put through his own goal from Nicky Cadden's dangerous cross to give the Tykes an early lead. Dion Charles appeared to have equalised not long after, but his header was chalked off for offside.

Barnsley doubled their advantage before half-time as Adam Phillips fired home a smart strike from the edge of the box. After the break, Charles again had the ball in the back of the net but it was once more ruled out for offsiden but Jon Dadi Bodvarsson halved the deficit with 10 minutes to go with a powerful header which Barnsley's rearguard could not keep out on the line - though the Tykes held out to claim a place in the second round with a 2-1 victory.

READ MORE: Jack Iredale opens up on Cambridge United return & coping with Bolton Wanderers expectation

There was a break in play in the first half, as referee Carl Boyeson stopped Barnsley being able to use towels anymore before Edwards could take any more long throw-ins for Michael Duff's side. Edwards claims the towels were changed Wanderers put Barnsley's in a puddle to make them wet and much less useful.

There was a change iun the second half and the Tykes managed to change them after the break, but no long throw-in opportunites arose. He believes things like that are part of the game and would expect other teams to use it against them if they possessed that asset and the threat it can pose.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Edwards said: "They changed our towels for their towels and put them in a massive puddle. I went over to dry the ball and the referee said we can't use any more towels.

"I tried to explain the situation, but he was not having it. In the second half, we managed to change them, but didn't get a chance to take a (long) throw-in.

"Things like that are always going to happen and I am sure we'd do the same if a team comes to our place and had that asset in a game. I understand why we have done it and have seen it plenty of times. It's one of them."

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