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MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren last night accused referee Rob Styles of "over-reacting'' with his controversial sending-off of left-back Franck Queudrue in the closing stages of yesterday's 2-1 defeat at Bolton.

Frenchman Queudrue was dismissed by Styles for the second time this season - and it was the third red card Boro received from the Waterlooville official during the campaign.

Queudrue was ordered off in the stormy home game against Leeds and midfielder Mark Wilson was dismissed in the visit to Aston Villa.

Yesterday, Queudrue was shown a straight red for a full-blooded challenge on Ivan Campo in the 78th minute, after being booked earlier for a foul on the same player.

It was his third sending-off this term - he was banished in the game at Newcastle immediately after the Leeds match.

And the decision certainly put paid to any lingering hope Boro had of qualifying for the UEFA Cup via the Fair Play League.

McClaren said: "It looked very harsh. It looked as though Franck got the ball.

"Sometimes you can over-react and make decisions quickly and I think that's what happened here.''

Queudrue, who missed the start of the season through suspension following a dismissal last term, will now sit out the first three games of the new campaign.

McClaren couldn't hide his disappointment after striker Michael Ricketts had pulled a goal back for Boro with his first for the club on his first return to Bolton since his £2.5m move in January.

"Michael did what we know he can do,'' said McClaren, who introduced the England international as one of three half-time substitutes after seeing his side trail to goals by Per Frandsen and Jay-Jay Okocha.

"We made some changes, got the goal and looked on the up, but the sending off then changed the game.

"But you have to congratulate Bolton on staying up and commiserate with West Ham on going down. It was always about those two teams.''

Jonathan Greening was to blame for both Bolton goals, squandering possession to Frandsen and conceding the free-kick from which Okocha profitted.

And McClaren admitted: "We didn't help ourselves with two errors that gave them goals, but we improved in the second half.

"We've finished 11th - we were 12th last season - and we've got 49 points, four better off than we were then.

"We were one win away from eighth place, which would have been the club's highest Premiership finish.

"It might not be reflected in points, but there's been immense progress.''

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce said: "I'm completely drained, emotionally unstable - but absolutely delighted. I'm so relieved I'm floating about six feet off the ground.''

Allardyce, clutching a bottle of beer, added: "The world has been lifted off of my shoulders.

"It's been a very hard week for myself and the staff. I have been an absolute gorilla around the place and people have been keeping their distance from me.

"But the players have been relaxed and in the right frame of mind to achieve what they needed to achieve.

"People talk about dogs of wars and things like that when teams are fighting at the bottom but we have never been like that.

"We have been playing our way out, certainly since December.

"I am just glad for the players and the supporters that they have done it themselves. They have done it with a bit of style and we scored two wonderful goals today.

"But as always there is a twist in the tail with Ricketts coming on and scoring. That unsettled us, our passing went astray.

"Nerves began to jangle but we put some fresh legs on and that proved crucial."

The 2-1 victory meant Bolton finished with 44 points - four more than last year.

Allardyce said: "For this club to stay in the top flight for the third time on the trot means you go back into the archives and blow the cobwebs off the books to find the last time they did it."

Okocha celebrated his goal by displaying a message on his vest which read "Thank you Jesus".

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