IAN Evatt claims referees are not doing enough to protect winger Dapo Afolayan.

The Bolton boss was unhappy at the rough treatment dished out by Carlisle United to the West Ham loanee in last night’s 1-0 win at the UniBol.

Afolayan was in electric form, playing a major part in Eoin Doyle’s winner after striking the base of the post.

But the youngster was also fouled on four occasions, also seeing a penalty appeal turned down in the second half when it appeared he had been tripped by George Tanner.

Dapo was brilliant first half, breathtaking,” Evatt enthused. “I just wish he’d get more protection because the amount of fouls and kicks that he gets and referees need to do more to protect these skill players. He is bruised and battered and he doesn't deserve that.”

Afolayan is still looking for his first goal for Bolton and has his manager’s sympathy after going so close in the build up to Doyle’s 18th of the season.

“Doyler is a sniffer and a predator,” he said. “But I don’t know what Dapo has got to do to score. I don’t know if he ran over a black cat lately. It is one of these crazy things that he hasn’t got a goal yet but hopefully he is saving them for the most important games.”

Evatt picked the same line-up as the one beaten at Grimsby at the weekend and felt he got exactly the response he wanted, especially from defenders Alex Baptiste and Ricardo Santos.

“I wanted a reaction but also as I said on Saturday, if that’s what below par looks like then we’re not miles away,” he said. “It is probably the first off day our two centre backs have had on Saturday and we created loads of chances.

“First half, we were outstanding, really good. When you don’t get that second goal and you have only got the one, you are protecting something at the business end of the season. They are trying to get in the play-offs, they know they need to win.

“That was the type of game it was with set plays, long throws, kicks from the goalie who kicks it miles, it was always going to be that type. But the way we stood up man for man and heading everything out of our box was excellent.”