Michael Duff laments sloppy start as Barnsley FC pay price for Mads Andersen red card

The Reds were all at sea in the early stages at Oakwell and duly fell behind when Dion Charles tucked away a penalty.

Captain Andersen received his marching orders for the challenge and there was no way back for Duff's men.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson took advantage of a defensive mix-up to double Bolton's lead just before the break and Kyle Dempsey completed the scoring late on.

"I thought it was a harsh decision," said Duff on Andersen's sending-off.

"Whether it's a penalty or it isn't, I think there's an attempt to play the ball; there has to be no attempt to play the ball to send him off so we're disappointed with that.

"The reaction was brilliant, we look pretty comfortable and then we gift them another goal from absolutely nothing. They've not had to work hard and we're 2-0 down.

"In reality, they've had three shots on target and scored three goals. There's a penalty, a gift from us and we played 80-odd minutes with 10 men.

"There are positives within it but it's a disappointing day."

The result – which ended Barnsley's seven-match unbeaten league run – takes Bolton above the Reds in the table on goal difference.

Duff accepts his team must improve after a chastening afternoon in front of their own fans.

"The referee and decisions aside, we weren't at it in the first 10 minutes," said Duff, whose side drop from fourth to sixth.

"There were too many stray passes, too many wrong decisions and too many people off it.

"We didn't quite look at the races. We're honest and humble enough not to hide behind the referee. When it was 11 v 11, we weren't good enough."

As he turns his attention to Sunday’s FA Cup trip to Derby County, Duff believes Barnsley are due a bit of luck.

"I don’t think we’ve had a penalty all season in the league but we've had three given against us in the last three games,” he added.

"We’re not falling on the right side of those decisions.”