IAN Evatt claims Lincoln City defender Regan Poole should have seen red for a “leg-breaker” challenge on George Johnston in Friday night’s 1-1 draw at the LNER Stadium.

The Wanderers boss was unhappy that referee Geoff Eltringham only punished Poole with a yellow card on a fractious night which would later see another Imps man, Joe Walsh, sent off for two bookable offences.

Evatt said his side have themselves to blame for not taking three points from the game, played for half an hour with a man advantage, pointing at an especially poor first half performance.

But he voiced his dissatisfaction at the behaviour of some Lincoln players and staff in what became a heated contest.

“It is easy to start blaming all the shenanigans that were happening with the opposition – it was nothing to do with us, we were trying to protect our own players,” he said.

“We have members of staff from the opposition trying to get Conor Bradley sent off, we had a really reckless tackle first half which was a leg-breaker and George was very fortunate not to be injured. It should have been a red card.

“I thought at times we just lost a bit of control of the game but that is football.”

Eoin Toal scored his first goal in English football to equalise Ben House’s early effort, heading home a corner from Aaron Morley.

The Northern Irishman, signed from Derry City in the summer, was one of the highlights of a difficult night for the Whites.

“It was a set play as well, which we can all celebrate,” Evatt said. “We looked more threatening, Eoin was excellent and he in particular put in some fantastic crosses in the second half which we should have attacked better and scored.

“But, as I say, we didn’t win the game because of the first half, not the second. I thought after half time we showed what a good side we can be.”

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