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Steven Schumacher feels ‘too many draws’ could cost Bolton automatic promotion
Boss Steven Schumacher was left to rue Bolton’s latest draw as his team’s bid for automatic promotion suffered another setback in an entertaining Greater Manchester derby with play-off rivals Stockport.
Wanderers needed Ben Osborn’s 79th-minute own goal to take a point from a 2-2 stalemate ahead of Saturday’s trip to second-placed Cardiff.
With five games left, Bolton are eight points behind the Welsh club with Schumacher admitting: “We have had too many draws.
“We haven’t lost many games. But when Cardiff have slipped up we haven’t capitalised.
“That’s happened too often. But we won’t give up and who knows.”
Celtic loanee Johnny Kenny’s second goal of the Easter weekend put Bolton into a 38th-minute lead.
But Adama Sidibeh equalised in the third minute of first-half stoppage time before interval substitute Tayo Edun’s first Hatters goal fired Stockport in front.
Osborn’s slip, however, gave Bolton a 16th draw of the campaign, leaving Stockport fifth.
“Probably a point was a fair result,” said Schumacher, who sportingly offered congratulations to now promoted rivals Lincoln.
“It was a close, tight game between two good teams. Both teams tried to win it which was good.
“When they scored their second goal it would have been easy for our lads’ heads to drop.
“But they kept going and we responded well. So, we deserved the equaliser and potentially we maybe could have won it.
“Congratulations to Lincoln, they deserve the promotion and it would be fitting if they win the league.”
Stockport finished with 10 men after substitute Louie Barry’s stoppage-time dismissal.
Booked for an 89th-minute foul, he received a second yellow from referee Stephen Martin in the fourth minute of added time.
“No complaints and plenty of annoyance,” was boss Dave Challinor’s reaction to the striker’s red card.
“I don’t care how old you are or how experienced or inexperienced you are. It was crazy. It will cost us and it will cost him.
“He made a stupid action and there will be consequences.”
On the result, Challinor added: “The only frustration was the manner of the goals we conceded.
“But I am not going to sit here and say ‘that’s a travesty, we should have won that game’.”
Challinor, though, was upset Jordi Osei-Tutu’s challenge on Sidibeh, prior to Kenny’s goal, wasn’t given as a penalty.
He said: “The referee said there was no contact with the ball. There was contact with the player but not enough for a foul.
“I think it’s a penalty but on the flip side, you can’t tell me the contact by Kenny on Ethan Pye at the other end was not a foul.”
