PER Frandsen protested his innocence as he resigned himself to sitting out Wanderers' top of the table clash with Watford.

The Danish midfielder will serve a one-match ban after picking up his fifth booking of the season in Saturday's 2-0 win at Norwich - an offence he maintains he did not commit.

Frandsen says referee Jeff Winter, who booked four other Bolton players and controversially disallowed Michael Ricketts' claim for a first half penalty, insists he never touched City midfielder Phil Mulryne - a claim the former Manchester United youngster supported with a sporting but unsuccessful appeal to the Stockton-on-Tees official.

"I wasn't even close to touching him," Frandsen explained, "and he said that too - the player.

"I think I am suspended now and that's very disappointing."

Wanderers were furious that Mr Winter waved away appeals when Ricketts went down under a challenge by Canaries' keeper Andy Marshall in the 11th minute but relieved that the decision was rendered academic by two towering headed goals by Ricketts and Gudni Bergsson in the space of 15 second half minutes.

"That was a big, big penalty," Frandsen said, amazed by the referee's blunder. "I think he was the only person on the pitch who didn't see it was a penalty. Even the goalkeeper ... you could see it in his face that he thought it was a penalty. "The goalkeeper never touched the ball - he was nowhere near it - but the referee gave a corner."

Sam Allardyce described it as "an absolutely nailed on penalty".

"I haven't got the faintest idea why he didn't give it," the manager said, "and I think he tried to get himself out of the mire by giving us a corner."

Allardyce confirmed he will fine Ricketts under the club's code of conduct for his last minute booking for dissent but he sympathised with the striker and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, who was booked for time-wasting at the end of the first half.

"These bookings could cost us dear later on," he said. "Michael was definitely fouled at the end of the game by a tackle from behind and he got so upset that he hadn't got the foul and got himself booked.

"I've got to fine him now, which is disappointing because if the referee had given the foul which he should have done, it wouldn't be necessary.

"And I didn't think Jussi did any time wasting. There were no ball boys down that side and he had to go and fetch the ball himself. I think the fans booing and jeering got Mr Winter to book him."