Dion Charles has revealed that last week’s red card mix-up was not the first time he has been involved in a case of mistaken identity.

The Wanderers striker was controversially sent off in last week’s 1-0 win against Forest Green for violent conduct – with replays later showing it had been team-mate Elias Kachunga who committed the offence spotted by referee’s assistant Darren Williams.

The Football Association transferred the ban to Kachunga – but Charles had a sense of déjà vu, as a similar thing had happened to him playing at Oxford United in September 2020.

“I’ll tell you what, it happened to me a couple of years ago at Accrington but it didn’t get overturned.

“I was accused of stamping on the keeper (Simon Eastwood)’s head. We had photographic evidence that showed it was a different number – but they got away with it.”

Charles’s ban was upheld back then but he was thankful to be free to face Charlton Athletic at the weekend, where he took his tally to 14 goals for the season.

“I’m pleased but also a bit frustrated because I felt like I could have got another couple of goals if I’d have stayed on the pitch,” he said.

“I’m a striker I want to score as many as I can, and I’m a bit frustrated I only got one. On another day that goes through the keeper’s legs and hits the roof of the net, not the bar. I had another one where I chopped the guy, went on my left foot, and the keeper made a great save.

“I’m scoring freely, so I am happy at the minute.”

Charles has scored four times in his last seven starts, and now stands level with Dapo Afolayan’s total for the whole of last season, which claimed the club’s Golden Boot prize.

He openly admits the 20-goal mark is the one he is chasing, something a Bolton player has not managed since Michael Ricketts more than two decades ago.

There have been times where the goals have slowed for the Northern Ireland international – but he reckons he never lost confidence during tough spells in October and November that he would return to form again.

“For me? No, I don’t lose faith,” he said. “The way we play and because of how good a team we are, when we play how we should there will always be chances. I am confident I’ll get that next chance, and then it is down to me to stick it away.”

Charles also clarified some of the details behind his recent injury, which hit the headlines at the – ahem – back end of last week.

Bolton boss Ian Evatt had revealed in his pre-Charlton press conference that his striker had picked up a rather sensitive injury and had ended up with a “swollen rear” for his troubles.

Charles saw the funny side – but was happy to make a correction on the anatomical side of things.

“It’s not actually my bum, it’s my hip… I think the gaffer threw me under the bus a bit there!” he laughed. “I got a challenge early on in the Derby game. Curtis Davies – very clever – came straight through the back of me and I was struggling a bit with it.

“But I got the goal on Tuesday then got, well, a bit of a rest.”

Evatt could also afford a grin after the final whistle on Saturday, having seen Charles given the red card reprieve, then go on to be the matchwinner at The Valley.

“Sometimes the football gods come smiling down, don’t they?” he said. “Dion will probably look at some of the opportunities he missed first half. But I thought he looked a real threat.”