Burnden Aces

Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Peterborough United

• September 23, 2023 | By Chris Mann
• Short URL: http://b-ac.es/4c705

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• Gethin Jones, League One, Match Reports, Peterborough United, Victor Adeboyejo
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• See Also

• Post-Match: Evatt on Bolton's Draw with Peterborough

Bolton came from behind to draw 1-1 with Peterborough United, despite having to play the entirety of the second-half a man short following the dismissal of Gethin Jones.

Wanderers fell behind three minutes before the break at the Toughsheet Community Stadium as Jonson Clarke-Harris headed in from a Harrison Burrows cross, but they were level within a minute as Victor Adeboyejo bundled home after Posh goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic had saved his initial close-range attempt.

The game then turned in the closing seconds of the first-half as Jones was shown a red card for a lunge which connected with the ankle of his namesake, Ricky, leaving the hosts to set up defensively for the majority of the second period.

Their goal lived a charmed life after the restart, with the visitors hitting the woodwork on no less than three separate occasions, while the Trotters did also have a couple of dangerous moments with late counter-attacks.

After somehow contriving to lose at Reading last time out, Whites boss Ian Evatt made two changes to the team that started at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - both of which were enforced - as Will Forrester and Jack Iredale replaced the injured Ricardo Almeida Santos and suspended Eoin Toal.

Dion Charles, who had suffered damage to shoulder ligaments against the Royals, was passed fit to play, where he was joined in the attack by Adeboyejo.

Both sides had early sighters as, first, Hector Kyprianou called Nathan Baxter into action with a snapshot, while George Thomason's curling strike from just outside the box was parried away by Bilokapic soon thereafter.

In truth, there was little to call as both sides enjoyed large spells of possession, with Posh possibly edging it in terms of attacking moments.

However, it was Bolton who came closest to scoring next as Charles headed into the side netting from a Josh Sheehan corner just after the half-hour, shortly before Iredale glanced a header narrowly wide from another set-play - this time, Randell Williams the provider.

It would be the visitors who got the breakthrough, though, as Harrison Burrows' cross from the left was flicked in by the head of Clarke-Harris with a little over three minutes to play before the break.

That sparked an instant response from the hosts, as Josh Dacres-Cogley's cross from the right was parried straight into the path of Adeboyejo, who bundled home from close range to level the scores at 1-1.

Two minutes of time was added at the end of the regulation 45, during which Wanderers were reduced to 10 men as Jones lunged into a challenge on his Peterborough namesake - Ricky - leaving referee Ross Joyce with little option but to brandish a red card.

There were no changes in personnel as Bolton returned for the second period, although Charles was moved out to the right-hand side to accommodate Dacres-Cogley dropping into the backline.

Kyle Dempsey was booked moments after the restart, while Clarke-Harris headed over the top from a Kyprianou delivery on 49 minutes.

Peterborough hit the post just after the hour as Burrows' shot came back off the woodwork, after which Bolton began to make changes as Evatt saw his players begin to fatigue.

Dan Nlundulu was introduced in place of Adeboyejo just after the hour, while Jon Dadi Bodvarsson replaced Charles as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

In another tactical switch, Nlundulu was allowed to drift out to the right, with Bodvarsson becoming a focal point in a lone forward role.

Just before Bodvarsson's arrival, the visitors struck wood again as Peter Kioso's low cross bounced off a relieved Iredale, and they would test the post again with less than five minutes to play as Burrows once again saw luck go against him with a strike from range.

Bolton thought they were in with a chance of a late winner as Nlundulu stole possession on halfway in added time, but Archie Collins took one for the team by hauling down the Wanderers substitute, taking a yellow card, and ensuring the game ended all-square.

A point for the home side, who gave their all in the second-half, sees them remain 7th in the League One table, ahead of next Saturday's trip to promotion-chasing Port Vale.

They return to action this coming Tuesday, however, when Manchester United U21 visit the Toughsheet Community Stadium in the EFL Trophy group stage.

Bolton Wanderers: Baxter, Iredale, Forrester, Jones, Williams, Thomason, Sheehan (Morley 90+2), Dacres-Cogley, Dempsey, Adeboyejo (Nlundulu 64), Charles (Bodvarsson 73)
Subs Not Used: Hutchinson, Jerome, Khumbeni, Matheson
Booked: Iredale, Dacres-Cogley, Dempsey, Thomason
Sent Off: Jones
Goals: Adeboyejo 43

Peterborough United: Bilokapic, Kioso, Knight, Edwards, Burrows, Kyprianou, Collins, Poku, Mason-Clark (Wakeling 86), Jones (Randall 69), Clarke-Harris
Subs Not Used: Talley, Katongo, Crichlow, De Havilland, Sturge
Booked: Kioso, Collins
Goals: Clarke-Harris 42

Referee: Ross Joyce
Attendance: 21,318

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