The eighteen thousand fans who turned upto Ewood Park for this local derby were just as likely to see gore as goals in this full bloodied encounter.
Sam Allardyce has reacted angrily in recent weeks over BBC Five Live’s commentator, Alan Green’s comments that Bolton are ‘ugly’. Yet that is exactly what they were yesterday. Bolton can consider themselves lucky to have only one player see red when another ref could have justifiably sent off three.
Hidetoshi Nakata was the guilty culprit who was given his marching orders after 33 minutes. He was dismissed for two bookable offences, his second being a late challenge on David Bentley.
Prior to that incident, Bolton’s Khalilo Fadiga has a lucky escape as referee Mike Riley showed lenience when Fadiga threw the ball away in frustration at being booked for a challenge on Savage.
Blackburn had the better chances in the game with Brett Emerton hitting the bar with a powerful second half header, and substitute Ivan Campo was forced into a goal-line clearance by Ryan Nelson’s header.
Bolton’s best opportunity to break the deadlock fell to Ricardo Vaz Te who in turn fell himself. The young Portuguese forward slipped as he was about to pull the trigger with Blackburn’s goal at his mercy.
Bolton will be happy with the away point particularly after being reduced to ten men for an hour of the game. Blackburn will rue missed chances but will be pleased with their overall performance against tough opposition.
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