RSS
|
Bolton came from behind to take a point from Pride Park after Nicolas Anelka cancelled out Kenny Miller's first-half strike. The two sides were propping up the rest of the Premier League at the start of the afternoon and a win for either would have been a huge boost in their survival bids. The Rams had the first chance of the game inside three minutes when Stephen Pearson found himself behind the Wanderers defence only to drag his shot wide. Bolton hit back almost immediately with Ricardo Gardner making an excellent run down the left flank before putting a great cross in for Kevin Davies who was inches away from making contact. But it was the hosts who did take the lead on 19 minutes, Tyrone Mears his a long ball which was well chested down by Steve Howard for Kenny Miller to fire past a helpless Jussi Jaaskelainen. Nicolas Anelka and Joey O'Brien has long-range efforts soon after but and Bolton levelled in the 32nd minute. Anelka hit a shot from the edge of the area and past the stranded Stephen Bywater after a wicked deflection off Dean Leacock. Soon after equalising, Kevin Nolan should have given the visitors the lead. Leacock's attempted backpass to Bywater was intercepted by the Wanderers captain who could only hit the side-netting after rounding the Derby keeper. The scores remained level at the break and the hosts went close to re-taking the lead 5 minutes after the restart with Miller forcing Jaaskelainen to make a brilliant low save. James McEveley and Miller had chances to put The Rams back infront but it was Bolton who looked like the only side who were going to snatch a victory. El-Hadji Diouf put a fantastic cross into the area just after the hour and a gamble from any Wanderers player would have seen the visitors take the lead for the first time in the game. Christian Wilhelmsson who had come on for Kevin Davies had Bolton's next chance, cutting inside from the left flank but his shot only found the arms of Bywater. Wilhelmsson and Anelka had chances to win the game for the Trotters, with Anelka hitting the underside of the crossbar before Kevin Nolan's follow-up was cleared off the line by Pearson as Derby held on for the point. Bolton are now unbeaten in four games and host Macedonian outfit FK Rabotnicki at the Reebok on Thursday as they hope to advance in the UEFA Cup. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||