PHIL’S FURY OVER ‘LEG-BREAKER’

RIVAL managers David Wagner and Phil Parkinson were at odds over a “leg-breaker” challenge leading up to Huddersfield’s vital second goal.

Rajiv van La Parra and Danny Williams struck within the space of 70 second-half seconds to ignite the third-round tie before Derik Osede pulled one back for the home side.

But Bolton boss Parkinson was left fuming over a challenge on defender David Wheater by midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri ahead of the Terriers’ crucial second.

He said: “You’ve got to see the challenge on David Wheater in the middle of the park to believe it.

“It’s a leg-breaking challenge right in front of the referee and he hasn’t given it and it’s resulted in the lad having a shot and a deflected goal.

“Really that goal should never have stood and I thought we reacted well after that, got back in the game and looked the most likely to get a draw and take it to a replay.”

Roger East had let play continue but Parkinson said he would speak to the referee about it.

Parkinson said: “The tackle on Wheater, I’ve just seen it again. The lad’s gone right over the top of the ball. “The state of Wheater’s leg, he’s very lucky not to have a serious injury.

“I’m going to ask the ref in a minute how he hasn’t seen that incident because it’s right in front of him and it’s the type of challenge which can result in serious injury. “Today, not only that, it’s resulted in a goal, which has probably cost us at least getting a replay.”

But Wagner, who made eight changes to his team, felt Sabiri was fouled just before his challenge on Wheater. “From my point of view it was a foul on Sabiri, a clear holding and then he tried to get the ball with a long leg,” said the German.

“It could be that afterwards there was a tackle but I was surprised we didn’t get a foul in this situation because of the holding on Sabiri.

“Then came this challenge and the ball ended at Danny Williams’ feet and he scored.

“So if we have to speak about the challenge (on Wheater) then we have to speak about the situation half a second before when it was a foul on Sabiri.”

Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half before the game sparked into life.

Van La Parra stabbed home from Sabiri’s 51st-minute corner just a minute before Williams crashed home a 30-yard shot with the help of a big deflection off Mark Beevers.

Osede (left) headed home to cut the deficit and bring Bolton back into it with 26 minutes left.

The defender went close with another effort but Huddersfield saw the game out.

Wagner added: “We looked very focused and never rushed the situation.

“I was, even in the first half, satisfied that we looked so professional.

“Everybody knows how difficult it can be if you play in the cup against an opponent in a league below you and I never had the feeling we were really in trouble.”