Bolton boss Ian Evatt was sent off for “misuse of technology” after Victor Adeboyejo’s first-half hat-trick set-up the League One leaders’ 3-1 win over Fleetwood.
Northern Ireland international Dion Charles was also dismissed by referee Tom Nield for a caution in each half.
Charles was the first to receive his marching orders after 69 minutes following a clash with Town keeper Jay Lynch.
Evatt followed five minutes later and under this season’s new regulations was unable to take his post-match press conference.
Instead, assistant manager Peter Atherton explained: “We saw Dion come alongside the keeper who stuck out his leg and tripped Dion.
“What he saw was very different to what we saw and unfortunately for Dion it was a second yellow.”
After watching on a pitchside monitor, Atherton added Evatt then drew the incident to the fourth official’s attention.
“The gaffer said he had seen it back. There was no misconduct in terms of abusive language.
“He just said, ‘I have seen it back and you got it wrong. From just referring to saying he had seen it back, that is a red card.”
Bolton fans’ anger was heightened by an incident last season against Forest Green Rovers when Nield mistakenly dismissed Charles instead of former team-mate Elias Kachunga.
On the plus side was Adeboyejo’s first hat-trick since his move from Burton.
“Last year Dion was the main goal scorer,” said Atherton.
“But we have said we have to share (goals) among the team.
“Vic has worked hard on the training ground and it’s nice to see him get the rewards with the hat-trick.”
Fleetwood have picked up only one point from their first three games and were also knocked out of the League Cup,
Josh Earl scored a stoppage-time consolation though home goalie Nathan Baxter twice denied Bolton old boy Josh Vela and a Scott Robertson free-kick.
Manager Scott Brown said: “It starts tough because we lost a goal after three minutes. They get that momentum.
“They had great shape and great structure behind and in front of the ball.
“It’s that bit of quality in the final third they had that was a lot better than we had.
“Their wing-backs were bolting in behind, first-time deliveries across the goal and their striker wanted it more and was switched on more than our defenders.
“It comes down to desire but also ruthlessness. They had that ruthlessness and we didn’t.
“The ball was a magnet to him .We had five defenders in the box at one point circulating him and he found the space.
“We had a few chances we probably should have scored off but we end up scoring off a corner in the 94th minute. We didn’t give ourselves a chance.”
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