Bolton Wanderers boss unhappy with the second-half refereeing performance at Peterborough United

Evatt was seen speaking animatedly to the officials at the end of a cracking contest which saw Bolton score twice in the opening 10 minutes before Posh went 3-2 up in the second-half. The Trotters than equalised eight minutes from time leaving both teams facing play-off semi-finals next week. Bolton started the game with an outside chance of finishing in the top two, but rivals Derby took control of their final game at home to Carlisle early on and won 2-0 to earn automatic promotion alongside champions Portsmouth

Bolton have a play-off first leg at Barnsley on Friday (May 3, 7.30pm) in a repeat of last year’s semi-final which was won by the Tykes. Posh travel to Oxford United – scene of a 5-0 beating just a fortnight ago – for their semi-final first leg the following night (7.45pm kick off).

"We were very good in the first-half,” Evatt told the Bolton News. “The pressing strategy was great and we were intense and really aggressive. We got 2-0 up and we could have and should have scored more.

“Obviously the result elsewhere filtered back to us and the players and probably knocked the stuffing out of us a little bit. We didn’t quite maintain the same focus and intensity in the second half and that is natural, I suppose.

“We just lost focus. The first goal we should have defended better, but there was a clear handball on the touchline, and the second goal is offside as when the pass is made he is in our half so it is a decision we can’t get wrong.

“But I am really pleased with the reaction to get ourselves back level after conceding the third and we regained some control.

"We are in a better place now than we were for the play-offs last season. This team has improved and evolved.”

Match referee Bobby Madley went off at the break with a calf injury, Fourth official Scott Tallis replaced him for the second half.

The League One relegation places were confirmed today with Cheltenham joining Fleetwood Town, Port Vale and Carlisle in League Two next season after a 2-1 defeat at Stevenage.

In-form Lincoln City missed out on the play-offs after a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Pompey, The Imps missed a second-half penalty at 0-0. Blackpool also started the day with a chance of a top six finish, but they lost 3-2 at Reading.