Bolton slipped back to the bottom of the Premier League after Wolves came from behind at the Reebok Stadium to claim a vital point in their bid for survival.
Trotters boss Owen Coyle has been given the whole January to turn things around by chairman Phil Gartside but didn’t get off the best of starts heading into 2012 with his side now propping up the table once again. Blackburn’s shock win at Manchester United earlier in the day put even more pressure on the home side to win this one but Steven Fletchers goal just after half time cancelling Sam Ricketts’ superb opener to earn Mick McCarthy’s side a vital point in their battle to avoid the drop. The draw was Bolton’s first of the season after losing eight of their last nine games but supporters will considered it two points lost against a team who are also struggling at the bottom. Coyle labelled this game the biggest of their season so far and demanded a performance from defender Gary Cahill who’s transfer to Chelsea is imminent.
He and Zat Knight coped well during the first period against Fletcher and Kevin Doyle forcing Wolves to try their luck from range only to find Jussi Jaaskelainen equal to their efforts. Steven Hunt tried his luck with a 25-yard rasper but the veteran keeper was on hand to tip the ball over the bar. By then the home side had already taken the lead through Ricketts who, after 10 months out with an achilles injury, announced his comeback in style cutting in from the left and driving an unstoppable strike past Wayne Hennessey and into the top corner. That seemed to raise the confidence levels amongst the Bolton players and should have doubled their lead only for Ivan Klasnic to direct the Martin Petrov’s cross straight into Hennessey’s grasp.
Mark Clattenburg’s half time whistle seemed to take the sting out of the Trotters’ tails as Wolves came out of the second half and levelled matters within four minutes of the restart. Matt Jarvis swung a free kick into the penalty area and in towards Fletcher who lost his marker to head the ball in from close range for his eight goal of the season. Both sides then missed a number of chances to take the lead with Fabrice Muamba lashing Petrov’s pull back over before Steinsson’s header was saved well by Hennessey before Doyle went close twice for the visitors. Tuncay then hit his own post with a header as Bolton failed to win at home once again with games against Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal on the horizon.
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