Kyle Dempsey missed Bolton Wanderers' opening day draw against Ipswich Town because of a dead leg picked up in training as Ian Evatt felt his side were denied a 'stonewall' penalty in the encounter.
Wanderers travelled to Portman Road to take on the Tractor Boys in the opening day of the campaign. The Whites did the double over the Suffolk outfit last season.
They took the lead after 25 minutes when Leif Davis bundled over Conor Bradley in the box for a penalty. Aaron Morley stepped up to coolly slot home from the spot.
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But the Tractor Boys equalised before half-time when Conor Chaplin's corner was met by Lee Evans to tuck home an effort which Wanderers ought to have defended better. The hosts were on top after the break but Wanderers rode out periods of pressure to secure a good point on the road against one of the division's top sides.
Dempsey was absent from the matchday squad after picking up a knock in training. Evatt confirmed after the draw it was a dead leg and the Whites opted not to risk the midfielder.
Early on in the game, vice-captain Gethin Jones needed treatment after going down from a corner following a tussle in the box. Evatt felt the call was a 'stonewall' penalty not given by the officials.
Defensive midfielder MJ Williams was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge on the stroke of half-time which when unpunished by the officials. It was another incident which Evatt felt did not merit the punishment, a red card on this occasion, but he was ultimately pleased with the defensive resilience his side displayed to pick up a point on the road.
He said: “Kyle Dempsey received a pretty hefty dead leg in training yesterday, so we decided not to really risk that. Everyone else seems okay.
"Gethin, it’s a stonewall penalty from the first corner, he’s just grabbed hold of his arm and yanked his shoulder out, which was disappointing and I think also just before half-time there was a really bad tackle on MJ Williams which has left a pretty nasty gash right by his knee which also could and should have been a red card in my opinion, but these things happen.
"I’m delighted with the lads to get a point and the resilience that we showed.”
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