Wanderers played with 10 men for more than an hour but held out to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Forest Green.

Dion Charles was shown a bizarre red card after Elias Kachunga appeared to lash out at Brandon Cooper off the ball.

The Northern Ireland international had earlier opened the scoring with a clinical volley after getting on the end of Gethin Jones’ cross.

Red card controversy

Surely the strangest red card of the season, Charles appeared to be the victim of mistaken identity from the officials.

It was a cruel blow for the forward, who had earlier provided a lovely finish for his 13th goal of the campaign.

The decision will surely be overturned, although Kachunga could now be hit with a suspension ahead of Saturday’s trip to Charlton.

Wanderers are short on numbers in attack following the news that Dan Nlundulu will be out for at least a couple of weeks.

Defensive resilience

The Whites had to dig in after they were reduced to 10 men but provided a resilient display to keep the visitors at bay.

The centre-backs, in particular, were imperious despite facing a barrage of crosses into the box during the final stages.

The addition of MJ Williams from the bench also made the Whites harder to break down, offering an extra layer of protection to the backline.

Ian Evatt will be delighted with his side’s efforts to secure what could prove to be a vital three points come the end of the season.

Dempsey masterclass

Kyle Dempsey seems to be finding his best form after a frustrating time with injuries since joining Wanderers.

The midfielder ran his socks off as the Whites battled against their numbers disadvantage during the second half.

He also provided some moments of real quality, causing the Forest Green defence problems with his direct running.

Conor Bradley also deserves a mention and continues to show experience beyond his years in the wing-back role.

Bouncing back

It was important for Wanderers to return to winning ways following their defeat at Derby over the weekend.

Evatt’s men have now lost just one of their last 10 matches in all competitions as they aim to keep climbing the table.

But Saturday’s trip to the Valley will be far from easy. The Addicks have won their last three league games under former Bolton man Dean Holden.

The Whites have a six-point cushion to seventh-place Wycombe at this stage, although they have played an extra game.