Bolton 1-1 Fulham

Decent point in the end. Great goal too. Looked beautiful from the WSU. Got a bit hairy at the end,but that's normal for us.

Deserved a point from the game, when the opposition are a class above you have to be organised and get stuck in, we did that to a man. Happy with a point and a fantastic finish from ALF off the bench, we are battling hard and playing with pride for the shirt, enjoyed the game.

Firstly, that was the best point we've won all season. Fulham are a class side, light years ahead of us in terms of quality, but we battled right until the end and deserved a point.

Dervite was absolutely superb, best game from a defender this season. Didn't lose a single challenge all match. Henry and Derik were also immense, especially considering the quality midfield they were up against.

No one was rubbish, but Clough looked lightweight and should have done better with a couple of good chances. Once Le Fondre and Morais came on I thought we stepped it up considerably.

As for Fulham, that was two points thrown away for them. For the first 15 minutes they were brilliant, scored one and missed a sitter. Then they started playing for time. After 15 minutes! Too much time wasting and falling to the floor interrupted their flow, and helped galvanize the home crowd and the Wanderers players. Loved it when Henry didn't give the ball back after that dropped ball.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Firstly, that was the best point we've won all season. Fulham are a class side, light years ahead of us in terms of quality, but we battled right until the end and deserved a point.

Dervite was absolutely superb, best game from a defender this season. Didn't lose a single challenge all match. Henry and Derik were also immense, especially considering the quality midfield they were up against.

No one was rubbish, but Clough looked lightweight and should have done better with a couple of good chances. Once Le Fondre and Morais came on I thought we stepped it up considerably.

As for Fulham, that was two points thrown away for them. For the first 15 minutes they were brilliant, scored one and missed a sitter. Then they started playing for time. After 15 minutes! Too much time wasting and falling to the floor interrupted their flow, and helped galvanize the home crowd and the Wanderers players. Loved it when Henry didn't give the ball back after that dropped ball.

Spot on that Nat except Derik was for me disappointing, the came seems to pass him by, he runs around looking lost his passing is wayward at times, he does the odd interception but for me we carry him. Just my opinion.

wessy wrote:
Spot on that Nat except Derik was for me disappointing, the came seems to pass him by, he runs around looking lost his passing is wayward at times, he does the odd interception but for me we carry him. Just my opinion.

You weren't at the game.

Fulham killed us down the wings, but very little through the middle. That's because Derik and Henry were superb. You seem to be expecting defence splitting passes and winning the ball with 60 yard sliding tackles.

He's a fit lad and gets about the park, considering he wasn't even in the squad for much of the season you should give the guy a break and stop making ridiculous statements. If we'd had a weak link in midfield today we'd have been thrashed.

We battled hard to grab a point from a good team to see us in 19th place, anything from Cardiff would be a bonus

I just want to see Madine humiliated

I don't blaim Madine for going. He needed to secure his future financially and it was probably his one chance to do that. Watching Ameobi over the last couple of games I think he plays the sort of target position better than Madine. Amoebi is able to bring the ball down under control and lay it off, rather than make speculative flicks. He gets back more to help the midfield and defence. He is faster going forward and has a better shot.
I thought Parkinson was spot on with his substitutions. Clough made a couple of chances, but he was not really fighting for the ball and putting their defence under pressure. Little had one of his worst games since joining the club and was not able to get past their left back. So I say well done Parkinson for replacing these players at the right time.

I didn't see the game so can comment upon our performance but on form I expected Fulham to thump us - so a point gained in my opinion.

As for Cardiff on Tuesday, they seem to be a bit off form at the moment and now is as a good as time to take points off them than.

Hoping for a draw but got my fingers crossed for better!

ALF's thunderbolt!

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Game highlights -

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standishfirsttrombone wrote:I don't blaim Madine for going. He needed to secure his future financially and it was probably his one chance to do that. Watching Ameobi over the last couple of games I think he plays the sort of target position better than Madine. Amoebi is able to bring the ball down under control and lay it off, rather than make speculative flicks. He gets back more to help the midfield and defence. He is faster going forward and has a better shot.
I thought Parkinson was spot on with his substitutions. Clough made a couple of chances, but he was not really fighting for the ball and putting their defence under pressure. Little had one of his worst games since joining the club and was not able to get past their left back. So I say well done Parkinson for replacing these players at the right time.

If I was a spawny shithouse bastard I'd make the most of my bizarre hot streak too. Fuck him.

Cardiff will be well up for it after getting robbed today. Disallowed goal was a joke and they should have a had a pen. If we score first we may rattle 'em and I'd love to see Warnock apoplectic after the game.

Report: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Fulham


Adam Le Fondre's sublime half-volley earned Wanderers a deserved draw against promotion-chasing Fulham at Macron Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors drew first blood inside five minutes, with Matt Targett’s close-range header eluding Ben Alnwick in the Bolton goal.

But Wanderers were back level just after the hour mark, with Le Fondre's sublime half-volley from 18 yards giving Marcus Bettinelli absolutely no chance whatsoever.

And despite their best efforts to take all three points, they had to settle for just the one come full time.

TEAM NEWS

Wanderers made one change to the starting XI who turned out against Bristol City last time out, with Zach Clough coming into the fray in place of Tyler Walker.

FIRST HALF

The game got underway in torrid conditions at Macron Stadium, with the visitors putting Bolton under pressure from the off.

And they were rewarded inside five minutes as Lucas Piazon headed the ball across goal, with Targett finding the net from close range with Ben Alnwick unable to keep his header out.

It was almost two three minutes later as Rui Fonte dispossessed David Wheater who was attempting to deal with a ball deep into Bolton’s territory, but Alnwick came to the rescue for Wanderers with his foot keeping the forward’s effort out.

Wanderers were having to bide their time in terms of creating their own opportunities, with Fulham ruling in possession, although the Whites were keeping them confined to the middle third of the pitch for the most part.

With 18 minutes on the clock however, the Trotters tested Marcus Bettinelli for the first time, with the shot-stopper’s fingers tipping a goalbound Zach Clough effort over the crossbar with Macron Stadium already rising to its collective feet.

The chance certainly rejuvenated the home side too, with Sammy Ameobi proving himself a handful in the minutes that followed as Bolton went in search of a leveller.

A succession of Fulham injuries meanwhile saw the flow of the game stunted, with Wanderers unable to find their groove as the visitors dropped like flies.

Clough enjoyed another chance to pull Bolton back onto level terms shortly after the half hour mark as, following good work from Ameobi to pluck the ball out of the air and lay it off for the advancing forward, our No.40 was denied by a smart Bettinelli save from 12 yards.

Wanderers’ confidence was growing with each passing attack, and although the Fulham ‘keeper wasn’t having too much to deal with in terms of goalmouth action, the Cottagers were visibly panicking as they looked to clear the ball away from danger.

Following a period of Bolton pressure as the half drew to its conclusion, the visitors almost snatched a second on the stroke of half time, only for Beevers to block Ryan Sessegnon’s effort from a tight angle to ensure that it was just the one goal advantage for Fulham at the break.

SECOND HALF

With no changes for either side at the break, proceedings got back underway and it was Wanderers who looked liveliest early on.

The visitors didn’t waste much time however in making a double substitution, with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Aboubakar Kamara entering the fray as the Cottagers looked to put the game beyond Bolton.

And the latter almost made the perfect introduction, only to put his effort wide of the mark with just Alnwick to beat.

Wanderers were soon back on the attack though, with some neat build-up play seeing the home faithful respond in kind with their vocal backing.

Just before the hour mark, Phil Parkinson made his first changes of the game with Filipe Morais replacing Little and Adam Le Fondre taking the place of Clough.

And Le Fondre made his mark just a matter of minutes later, with his sublime angled half-volley from the edge of the box giving Bettinelli absolutely no chance as he drew Bolton level and sent the home faithful into raptures.

Wanderers were hungry for more, and with Fulham on the ropes, they poured forward in search of a second and saw Le Fondre come close again, with his shot deflecting off a Cottagers shirt and being palmed away by Bettinelli.

The Whites were knocking, and Josh Vela saw a golden opportunity – following good hold-up play by Le Fondre – fly narrowly over the crossbar from 20 yards.

They even had the ball in the back of the net with 18 minutes remaining, but the whistle had been long blown for a foul by Ameobi on the keeper before he poked an effort home.

Fulham weren't for lying down however, with Wheater required to dispossess Kamara inside the six yard box just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Wanderers continued to press themselves, Ameobi making inroads and shrugging off a couple of challenges before firing just wide of the upright with seven minutes left.

Mitrovic came close for Fulham meanwhile, seeing a snapshot from the edge of the area whisk past the post with Alnwick stranded.

They looked set to snatch the victory too with just two minutes left as Stefan Johansen mazed into the box, but his eventual effort was the wrong side of the near post to Bolton's relief.

And with four minutes indicated at the end of the 90, both teams were throwing everything forward as the clash swung to and fro.

But come full time, the spoils were shared at Macron Stadium.

FULL TIME

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Superb result and a well deserved one at that.

For me the defining moment was when Henry passed the ball back to Alwick from the drop ball after one of the many attempts by Fulham to waste time. That seemed to galvanize the crowd and players and we seemed to move it up a gear after that.

I'd forgotten that Fulham scored 5 (five!) against The Blades at Bramall Lane earlier this year, so our point looks terrific by comparison.....

I'm happy with Alf being used as a sub when opposition defences are beginning to tire, as he is not very speedy any more, but still has an eye for goal, as yesterday proved in sublime fashion:- he can kick a ball accurately, which is one up on some of his colleagues!

See i told you ALF was the business 

A great point against a good side who passed us to death at certain times during the game but we battled well and desrved a point despite the worst ref i've seen at the Macron for a long long time. I'm sure he had money on them winning as he was so biased it was laughable, and as for that tight shirt -  what a prick!

Norpig wrote:See i told you ALF was the business 

A great point against a good side who passed us to death at certain times during the game but we battled well and desrved a point despite the worst ref i've seen at the Macron for a long long time. I'm sure he had money on them winning as he was so biased it was laughable, and as for that tight shirt -  what a prick!

He was very poor. The corner he gave Fulham at the end was laughable.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

wessy wrote:
Spot on that Nat except Derik was for me disappointing, the came seems to pass him by, he runs around looking lost his passing is wayward at times, he does the odd interception but for me we carry him. Just my opinion.

You weren't at the game.

Fulham killed us down the wings, but very little through the middle. That's because Derik and Henry were superb. You seem to be expecting defence splitting passes and winning the ball with 60 yard sliding tackles.

He's a fit lad and gets about the park, considering he wasn't even in the squad for much of the season you should give the guy a break and stop making ridiculous statements. If we'd had a weak link in midfield today we'd have been thrashed.

Agree done for pace down the wings, surprised because Robinson is quick, and yes i agree tight in the middle i thought Henry played well, Derik for me did ok, but if you watch him as i did a large part of the game he runs around looking lost that's my opinion.

I hope he turns out to be the player you think he is, in terms of his passing, most fans wanted him in the team because that was his strength.

I have seen no evidence of any quality on the ball from him yet. lets hope with game time he proves me wrong. don't hold your breath.

He's in the team because Pratley is injured, and there is no one else.

You are the only person I have heard slag Derik off after the game yesterday, I suspect you have other reasons for disliking him - did a bloke called Derek shag your missus, or pick on you when you were a kid?