Johnny Kenny’s first start for Bolton ended in controversy on Tuesday night after a second-half incident left a Reading defender requiring stitches.
The 22-year-old striker, on loan from Celtic, was handed his first start for Bolton Wanderers following a 25-minute cameo at the weekend. It proved to be an eventful evening, with Bolton eventually rescuing a 1-1 draw through a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser.
The flashpoint came in the second half involving Paudie O’Connor of Reading. Kenny and O’Connor were chasing a loose ball down the flank, with the Reading defender initially getting across the striker. O’Connor went to ground during the challenge and, as Kenny stumbled forward, his foot appeared to come down on the defender’s face.
While it looked accidental rather than malicious, the consequences were serious. O’Connor required treatment and was later reported to need stitches, with damage to his mouth.
Reading boss Liam Richardson was furious after the match, branding the challenge “disgusting” and directing much of his frustration towards the officiating.
“I’ve been told myself that it’s a horrific challenge,” Richardson said, quoted by SunSport. “It’s a terrible one. It’s an absolutely terrible one. Disgusting one. He’s getting stitched as we speak now. He’s getting stitched; his teeth have suffered. You can see through his mouth.”
Richardson also questioned the amount of added time played, with Bolton’s late equaliser coming deep into stoppage time, insisting momentum had shifted away from his side. Has Neil McCann been on the phone?
It was an unfortunate moment on a night that should have marked a personal milestone for Kenny. The striker is still finding his feet after arriving on loan, and while the stamp did not appear deliberate, it will inevitably draw scrutiny.
Bolton salvaged a point at the death, but the talking point afterwards was the challenge involving Kenny, one that overshadowed his first start and sparked an angry reaction from the Reading camp.
Keep Reading
