Bolton Wanderers came from behind to pick up a deserved point on the road against Wigan Athletic.
James McClean put the Latics in front early in the first half as his cross found its way all the way through to give the hosts an early lead.
Leam Richardson's side dominated much of the first half but a big moment came before half-time when referee Samuel Barrott refrained from showing McClean a second yellow card following a foul on Dapo Afolayan, for whom he had fouled for his opening booking earlier in the game.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers player ratings vs Wigan Athletic - Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Dapo Afolayan good
Wanderers were the better team after the break and got a deserved equaliser when Bodvarsson rose to nod home Will Aimson's cross and give Wanderers a share of the spoils.
After the game, Wanderers boss Ian Evatt spoke to the press and here's his immediate reaction to the draw.
What’s your assessment of that draw?
“The first 25 minutes to half an hour we weren’t good enough. They got the goal and dominated us not through real good play, it was more from our mistakes.
“We looked nervous and then it was like territory, set plays, them nicking balls and second balls in midfield and it felt like we were under pressure when really we weren’t. We didn’t manage that first 25 minutes to half an hour well enough and then when they scored, it jolted us and then all of sudden we took over the last 10 minutes of the first half and then second half I thought it was all us really.
“The subs, that was the plan to get them on early and to bring some fresh legs. As much as you get a break in international breaks, sometimes the players can come back jaded and fatigued and that sounds really strange but when you’re used to playing back to back 90 minutes, it takes you a while to get going again, but I thought after that we took control and I thought the point was the least we deserved.”
In the last 10 minutes of the first half a significant incident happened with James McClean, he was on a yellow card and made a challenge?
“I don’t see how it isn’t a yellow card. I think the whole stadium knows it was a yellow card. Dapo’s got there first, he’s played the ball around James. James has brought him down. Dapo is running in towards goal, the linesman said the ball went out of play, but it went out of play after three or four bounces and Dapo not running after it because he’s been brought to the floor.
“It’s a really disappointing decision because I think that really does put things in our favour with the way we had the ball, but massive credit to our lads. We wrestled back the impetus after that first half an hour and then I thought second half, we were outstanding.”
Have you spoke to the referee about it?
“Yeah and that’s exactly the answer that I got. His opinion was it’s not his fault. That was the information that he got from the linesman, but the information was wrong and everybody knows it was a yellow card and that’s that.”
You mentioned the positive last 10 minutes, was that the message at half-time?
“It was simply that in the first half an hour we didn’t compete well enough and we didn’t manage the game well enough in a derby match, but once we’d wrestled back that impetus we needed to continue with that. We knew what we were going to do, we knew what the plan was to get the boys off the bench pretty quickly and give us some fresh impetus and they definitely did that and I’m delighted we got the goal as I think it’s the least we deserve.”
What a goal it was from Bodvarsson and exactly what you wanted from him?
“He was brilliant when he came on, he was a focal point, got us up the pitch and to build better.
“He missed a lot of football and had started back-to-back games for Iceland last week, basically chasing the ball for 70 minutes against Spain, so it would have been hard to start with him. But we’re delighted with his goal.”
