Our reserves extended their unbeaten run to six matches but for the second time this season the Gateshead crowd and Sir Bobby Robson were enraged by a ridiculous red card decision.

This time Halifax official David Richardson chose to dismiss Olivier Bernard in the 14th minute after what looked like a fair challenge on Bolton's Cleveland Taylor.

As a bewildered Bernard left the field, Robson strode purposefully from the stand to take over coaching duties at pitchside, pausing only to harangue the fourth official and nearby linesman.

Undaunted, ten man United promptly opened the scoring within five minutes, as Bassedas played a through ball to a suspiciously offside LuaLua, and he was allowed to advance before converting a low effort that the keeper got a touch to but couldn't keep out.

Six minutes later and a bit of route one football saw a second goal for the home side, Cort's nod on falling to Gavilan. The Paraguayan dallied over a shot in the box only to see his effort deflected to a clearly offside LuaLua, who knocked it into an empty net from close range.

Further chances followed at both ends, with Bolton particularly inept in front of goal both before and after the Lua brace, and Carl Cort inexplicably attempting to chest home a cross instead of heading it.

Having begun with an unlikely central defensive pairing of Bernard and Elliott, Acuna had dropped back into defence following the red card incident, but it was Bassedas who made way as defender Steven Taylor entered the fray at half time.

The second period was rather less entertaining as the temperature dropped, and United threatened less and less despite the introduction of Chopra alongside Cort.

With 18 minutes remaining Bolton grabbed a lifeline when a free kick from Belgian-born Turkish international Akin Bulent beat Collin in the United goal, Walters trying to get a touch on it and failing but managing to unsettle the United 'keeper.

An equaliser then looked inevitable and duly arrived after 83 minutes, courtesy of a shot from former Blackburn striker Jon Walters, who found space down the right before blasting home from the edge of the box. 

Lying bottom of the league and winless, Bolton tried to force a third goal in the final moments but had to be content with doubling their points tally from the season.

While the dismissal undoubtedly affected the result, we faded badly after the break with Cort again failing to impress. 

On the plus side there was another confident display at right back from Irish youth international Stephen Brennan, who showed some good touches going forward as well as a couple of well-timed tackles. 

Biffa

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