Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle blasted the match officials after their draw at Stoke City sent them down.

Coyle reserved much of his anger for referee Chris Foy, who allowed Jon Walters' 13th-minute opener to stand despite the striker appearing to head the ball out of Adam Bogdan's hands, and the Bolton boss also felt the goalkeeper should not have been penalised for felling Peter Crouch to concede the penalty 13 minutes from time.

"It's hard to take," said Coyle. "We had a slow start in the game but I think the events that happened today, and I know people will talk about sour grapes, but how can that first goal be allowed to stand when Adam Bogdan had clearly got the ball in his hands?

"Jonathan Walters is a good player but he sticks his head and his elbow halfway up Adam's arm, I find it incredible. I've been in to see the officials - I've done that a lot this season and I can't say you come out any the wiser.

"But we bounced back, got 2-1 in front, had chances to make it 3-1. Crouch has a great chance and Adam makes a great save, but in the aftermath Crouch has knocked it by Adam and it's actually Crouch who's clambered into Adam.

"I don't think we've come out on top of the decisions today, but we've picked ourselves up again. Lee Chung-yong had a good chance to get that third goal and then Tim Ream's header in the last minute, where the keeper's made a great save.

"And that's the margins in this league. If that goes in, we're still in the Premier League."