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Mullet added 18:46 - Dec 13
The back end of the Bolton bowl bustled with a large and admirable away delegation. Staring out expectantly across at empty seats crowned by a sky as leaden as the pitch below. Realising, like the rest of the country finally that Reebok are old hat, we awaited 90mins in the Macron arena with dreams of Town topping the 72 by tea time, just desserts for such a great season so far perhaps.

A familiar look to Mick's men with a big back five and ahead of them Skuse, Tabb and Bishop. Ando tucked and Town again rolled out the big guns of McG and Murph. Bolton's teamsheet was full of names you'd recognise in passing but not glance twice at. Revived under Lennon, this was to be a close contest as the hosts place in the form table far outstripped their one in the table proper.

Town were marginally the brighter of the two in the opening forays. A flick from Skuse and Ando alike allowed McG to control and turn for decent passes into either channel. However we were barely a candle amongst the gloom in a 45 duller than a cheap butter knife. Young Bishop showed the best around ten mins in. Wandering from deep in his own half having anticipated and excellent Anderson cushion. The youngster flew by the seat of his pants riding tackles and changing centre of gravity right into the Bolton box. Using left foot and right, when he tackled back soon after he showed he really can do it all, almost.

Town were soon forced to go long and high and do plenty of dirty work when Bolton were left making an early change. Clayton clattered into Berra and went down clutching his knee. Soon after he tried to turn his man to make a run and fell immediately to the ground. On came Spearing and Bolton went from two strikers to one. The sub mopping up from deep in midfield like a sponge for any free flowing football the blues had hoped to play, as their opponents opted to close up the centre of the park with a ten man wall of white resistance.

Meanwhile the other young starlet in the Town 11 looked every bit the Arsenal defender he's rumoured soon to be. Up against the speedy and aggressive Feeney Mings was miles off of his man and caught colder than those of us watching, time and again. Caught like the proverbial rabbit he failed to hare forward as he's accustomed to, and would have been better served getting right up his man. 37 minutes of being second best were broken with a steely tackle on the byline.

Even his interceptions however good in intention, often sliced back into the Town box more than once and gave Bolton one of their better chances at breaking ahead. Ream looked anything but as he was allowed to threaten not once, but twice; wastefully blasting wide in the end. Town meanwhile struggled to impact on a game where the Trotters ground and grunted resolutely.

A volleyed chip from Murphy following a well placed corner and subsequent crossfield ball, saw Lonergan tip generously over the bar for another go was perhaps the most eyecatching of the opening 45's chances for the blues. Ando stole a march on the MOTM award with constant up and down endeavour in a long dry hump of a half.

The break was well needed by both sides and they complimented the previous half by offering up the most trusted of footballing clichés in terms of breaking in style for the second. A game of two halves it promised to be, even if that was soon to be broken after both teams settled on the hour mark. Town especially were as you'd expect, the better of the two. Streaming forward right from the off with McG at the heart of it all, the legs and lungs we come to expect from McCarthy's approach ably supplied by the midfield.

When Tabb was gifted the best chance of the game, popping up like a little Garrincha only yards out from a Didsy switch pass, Lonergan spread himself to steal away any gift his defenders had just given. The best Jay could do was dig it awkwardly from his feet when he should have buried it. And so it never really began for Town. The great wintery discontent endured.

As none of the officials seemed to know what was going on, neither side really benefited from throws and fouls misplaced and awarded incorrectly apiece. Indeed Town had one or two set pieces given and given against them that frankly beggared belief as did Bolton. Usually so good at taking a game to teams inch by inch and yard by yard, it was a match that saw both Mings and Murphy under the weather and unsurprisingly Town suffered for it. The only fine thing on display was the rain when it ceased drum on the stands like God's idle fingers. Still we prayed something might happen, anything at all.

McG beat the whole defence at one point with a beautifully arced run and was just a touch or two too far to make the angle count. Sweeping like a gust, both ball and all expectation flew past the post and rooted keeper. Before that only short interchanges around the middle of the park had hinted at Town's dominance both today and in general this season.

Bolton had made all three subs by 70 mins and on the hour they introduced the veteran Gudjohnsen who sparked the empty and full seats around 3 sides of the ground into life seemingly. In a game with a capacity for so much flux you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd gone back in time when it finished with both him and Ambrose on the pitch. The Icelandic veteran of yesteryears campaigns failed to sparkle however. His greatest impact came on his marker as Town pushed Bolton back and he held the arm of fellow substitute Hunt in comical style before confirming a card by barracking the clueless flagbearer to his left.

Town had impressed in spluttering moments and the hosts had done little but cling on for grim death or dear life depending on which manager you ask. Lennon has no doubt improved them immeasurably and despite his back catalogue of bullsh1t and grandstanding won't be getting the bullet any time soon. Describing Town as a “pretty good outfit” to local media tonight, we certainly did enough to make his boys uncomfortable and perhaps even flattered them a little. The 100% home record fell, even if the unbeaten run didn't.

When Tabb again dived low at the back post midway into the second half, those forced to daydream were disappointed to see the ball skid away from goal thanks again to fine glovework. Likewise when Mings did burst forward the hapless marker couldn't even connect with his heels and send him sprawling for a penalty. Such fantasies were left to wither in frustration. Unlike the card the LB picked up for numerous niggling indiscretions not to the refs liking.

Tabb who perhaps stole a march on Anderson for the eventual MOTM award was unlucky to make himself available for two of Town's best chances and put neither of them away. An aspect that sullies a fine game for him and us. It's hard to know what to feel about such a hard-fought point. Just like in days gone by a very good Town side were kicked and harried but a militant and game Bolton team determined to spoil the game and our run. Unfortunately there was simply no goal to debate the merits of and overcome such stubborn resistance.

If this remains the worst 90 mins of the season, then it will indeed be a festive miracle realised in May considering Town are usually so much more convincing.
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alsagerblue added 09:26 - Dec 14
Most people, myself included, were predicting a draw before kick off so I suppose I wasn't too disappointed.
Sterling performances from both Anderson and Tabb (who amazingly won so many headers).
McGoldrick was different class; he reminds me of the 2nd David Johnson in that he looks to strike the ball as early as possible. However, his accuracy is somewhat wayward at the moment.
However, with a combination of Town dominating the second half and the other teams around us winning, fans came away feeling it was a game we should have won!
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backintheday added 20:07 - Dec 14
Bialkowski- He done what he had to do well but overall had not a lot to do.
Chambers- Didn't really notice Chambo much slotted in at centre half when need where he should be playing but harsh to drop Tommy.
Berra- Christophe done very well only defender that really notice he was here and there and everywhere. Got to every ball and read the game well.
Smith- Tommy had a good game and went about his business quietly and did what he needed to do.
Mings- Ty was not as good as he normally was. Some fans worried that Arsenal story every week might be getting to his head.
Tabb- Tabby done well today he did everything but score if only he would have put that chance away with a dink over the keeper rather than trying to put it around him. It was a case of falling to the wrong player.
Skuse- Skuse probably had one of his better games if that's possible? He went about his business quietly and done what he had to do.
Bishop- Bish had a really good game but it wasn't his sort of game it was just a game of long balls but we played better and used Bish more effectively when we played it on the floor. I have to say though Bish and Didz done some great build up work between them before one of Didz's attempts.
Anderson- Ando has a average game. He worked his socks off he was up and down the pitch all day but can't last the full 90 mins but overall done well but not his best game.
Murphy- Murph did well played in deeper role which would usually be occupied by Didz but might have been switch to try and fool Bolton and might have been cause we needed Didz's skill and agility to break through the Bolton defence at crucial moments. Murph done well and got it good positions and used his physical presence well.
McGoldrick- Didz had one of the best games I've seen him have since coming back from injury. He played very well was all over the pitch and involved and had a couple of really good chances which he was unlucky not to score from.
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