Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer blames Gillingham’s Steve Evans for Chuks Aneke’s red card
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer blamed Chuks Aneke’s second-half dismissal on opposite number Steve Evans.
The Addicks’ top-scorer was sent off in the 70th minute for two bookable offences in today’s 3-2 loss at The Valley.
Aneke had already been cautioned for an aerial challenge on a Gillingham defender before then making a late tackle on the left knee of Connor Ogilvie.
Asked if Evans’ input had made referee Kevin Johnson opt to dismiss the forward, Bowyer said: “Oh for sure. How someone can stand on the sideline and try and get an opponent’s players booked in that way – it’s not very nice. It’s not very nice at all. That’s why Chuks got sent off.
“That’s why – because of the pressure. The intimidation that comes from it. You’re not telling me that both those challenges are yellow card challenges – not a chance. I’m disappointed because I felt the ref did okay, apart from that.
“The one other thing was when their fella blatantly dived and cheated – he tried to get a penalty – and he didn’t get a yellow card. Deji dived and cheated to try and get a penalty, because that’s what it is if you’re going to try and dive in the box with no contact then you’re cheating. They both should have got a yellow card. But Deji gets a yellow card and their fella doesn’t.
“It’s the same fella who get the penalty at their ground – a blatant dive.
“But those two things were the only thing he got wrong. He was strong, apart from that.”
Bowyer was booked by Johnson after Oshilaja was cautioned.
“I shouted once to the fourth official. And that was because he booked Deji for diving, which is rightly so if it isn’t a penalty. But you’ve got to do the same to their fella. His one was embarrassingly bad. But he didn’t get booked. Why didn’t he get booked? That was my point.
“I didn’t swear at the fourth official but because I shouted he gets me booked. Are you kidding me? This man [Evans] has not stopped shouting and swearing the whole game. And then you want to get me booked for shouting once? Because it was blatantly obvious what the difference was? The yellow card isn’t important. I’m not surprised though.”
PHOTO: KYLE ANDREWS
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