Bolton Wanderers came from behind with 10 men to claim a point away against Morecambe but the game was marred by an alleged racist remark from the crowd which forced a temporary stoppage in the game.
The League One clash at the Mazuma Stadium was suspended for 10 minutes by referee Ross Joyce following a comment directed towards the Wanderers bench from the crowd and the players were called off the pitch.
Cole Stockton had previously put the hosts ahead after having his penalty saved by James Trafford as Bolton captain Ricardo Almeida Santos was shown a straight red card for a handball in the box.
But Wanderers rallied and during 10 extra minutes of play, substitute Amadou Bakayoko struck to earn Bolton a share of the spoils.
In an encounter ultimately marred by an off the pitch incident, here's what Bolton boss Ian Evatt had to say on the players being called off the pitch following the alleged unsavory incident.
What were the problems and the reason for the holdup in the game?
“I’m emotional really. From minute one, the barrage of abuse that me and the rest of my staff and players got from directly behind the dugout was astonishing. No protection, encroachment, spitting and then it takes the worst of all remarks, a racist remark for then for somebody to stand up and do something about it.
"I’m emotional. This game sometimes never fails to disappoint me and I’m even more astonished that the announcement comes over the tannoy to say both sets of the supporters weren’t behaving themselves. It wasn’t our supporters. Our supporters, yes, encroached the pitch to support our team and I’m not saying that’s right - but our supporters didn’t behave in that way, so I was really disappointed with that as well.”
You got an equaliser at the end but the major talking point will be what happened?
“I feel for Stephen (Robinson) because his team has fought and it’s not in any way, shape or form a mark against him. He was outstanding on the touchline and completely understanding.
"When we went into the changing rooms with the break, we spoke and we said that this can’t overspill and we can’t lose our own discipline.
"As upset, disappointed and emotional we are, we have to channel that into 10 minutes of football and give it everything we’ve got and the players did that incredibly well. I’m a bit emotional because they’ve really come together and they’ve managed to get something out of this game, but the way they stuck together, if one of us gets abused, we all abused and we all stuck together, we all did the right thing and until this gets stamped out of the game, it never fails really to disappoint me."
Is that the worst you’ve seen in your football career?
“The worst I’ve seen by far and the racist issue is disgraceful, disgusting, but for me the 89 minutes before it are equally as bad. Just because we are sportsmen and professional people and we work for opposition football clubs, it dosen’t give you a right to say and do what you want to us.
"We are human beings, we deserve to be treated like human beings and it’s taken a disgraceful racist remark for something to get done about it, but it was constant from minute one. We’re all emotional, we need time to sit and debrief and think about what’s happened. Some things are bigger than football and today this is bigger than football.”
What were the players like?
“They were upset, they are upset, from minute one it was relentless. And just because we are sportspeople it doesn’t give you the right to say and do what you like to us.
“There will be some reaction but there is bound to be when there are personal insults from minute one.
“It is going to get to that stage. There were allegations of spitting – and I trust and believe my players on that – it gets dealt with, then following that, racist remarks.
“It is astonishing. I am really proud of my club and my players.
“It doesn’t matter what our background is, what ethnicity, we work and play together under the same banner. I would not accept one of my players being abusive and if that means calling the game off, then call the game off.”
