Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt insists Marcus Maddison did not let his team-mates down despite being sent off against Morecambe as he felt it was a challenge that needed to be made.
The 27-year-old was given his marching orders little over 10 minutes into his Wanderers debut last night against the Shrimps.
Bolton were reduced to 10 men when Maddison was shown a straight red card by referee Oliver Langford following a challenge on Aaron Wildig.
Wanderers had taken the lead just before half-time when Eoin Doyle put them in front, only for Brad Lyons to nod home after Maddison's dismissal to earn Morecambe a share of the spoils.
Evatt revealed Maddison's disappointment following the sending off and the winger feeling he had let the dressing room down.
But the Bolton boss believes Maddison had to make the challenge and that it was not a two-footed tackle, adding that he believes the Shrimps players put pressure on the referee to make a decision.
However, Evatt hopes the red card will be rescinded, but it disappointed that it led to Wanderers missing out on two extra points he felt would have been there's had the dismissal not happened.
“He is disappointed because he feels like he has let the team down. But he hasn’t because, for me, it’s a challenge he has to make," Evatt said.
"He has gone left foot first, not two-footed, and the referee has allowed their players to surround him and pressure him into a decision.
“Hopefully we get it rescinded but that doesn’t get the two points back we lost.
“Everyone who saw that game live can see we are improving, getting better, and we dominated that game. We would have gone on to win it had it not been for that decision, in my opinion.
"We were not under any threat or danger, it was more about us adding to the lead and that’s why we made the changes.
“We need these lads up to speed because we have got 20 big games coming up. All is not lost and we’ll go again Saturday."
