Report: Wanderers 1-1 Millwall
Keith Andrews’ 32nd-minute penalty cancelled out Andy Keogh’s earlier spot kick as Wanderers secured a point on home turf against Millwall.
Referee Alan Clayton pointed to the spot after Zat Knight was adjudged to have fouled Keogh while on the turn, and the forward found the net from 12 yards.
The Trotters converted a penalty of their own 13 minutes before the break after Chung-Yong Lee was brought down by Danny Shittu and Andrews sent keeper David Forde the wrong way to level the scores.
The Whites dominated the game’s closing stages and Kevin Davies saw his header cleared off the line, but a resolute Lions defence held on for a draw.
Dougie Freedman made five changes from last weekend’s 2-2 FA Cup third round draw against Sunderland. Adam Bogdan, Tim Ream, Chris Eagles, Jay Spearing and Kevin Davies all return to the starting line-up while Andy Lonergan, Joe Riley, Darren Pratley, Martin Petrov and Marvin Sordell missed out.
Wanderers, who adopted a 4-4-2 formation, created the game's first opening after just three minutes. David Ngog weaved his way past two defenders to find space on the left flank, and the striker slid a dangerous ball across the area but Kevin Davies was unable to guide it goalwards.
Millwall then took the lead five minutes later when possession was lost to Dany N’Guessan deep in the Bolton half. The Lions striker played a ball inside into Keogh who turned in the area and was adjudged to have been upended by Zat Knight.
Referee Alan Clayton pointed to the spot and the former Wolves forward stepped up to chip the ball down the middle to give the visitors an early lead.
The Trotters continued to dominate the large share of possession in the opening period. First Ngog tested Lions stopper David Forde from 20 yards before Chung-Yong Lee struck a close-range effort wide from an acute angle.
Ngog was in the thick of the action again minutes later. The Frenchmen gathered the ball on the edge of the area and managed to make himself a couple yards of space, but the forward’s low drive went past Forde’s far post.
Liam Trotter almost doubled the visitors lead with a spectacular 25-yard half-volley which skimmed the top of Bogdan’s bar, before Wanderers were awarded a penalty of their own after 32 minutes.
Lee made his way into the Millwall box after some neat work with Eagles and the Korean international was brought down by former Wanderer Danny Shittu. The ever-reliable Andrews made no mistake from 12 yards sending Forde the wrong way to ensure the two sides entered the break on level terms.
Wanderers’ players were aggrieved to have not won a second penalty at the start of the second period after Andrews' shot from inside the area was judged to have not struck the arm of the diving Shittu.
Eagles would test keeper Forde soon after, but the Millwall stopper was equal to his 20 yard drive. And the Bolton number seven would go close again minutes later but his volley from inside the area went narrowly over the top.
The Trotters continued to push forward as Ngog fired inches over before Kevin Davies saw an effort go narrowly wide of Millwall’s near post.
The visitors were a constant threat on the counter-attack and N’Guessan was agonisinlgy close to getting on the end of a James Henry cross.
Wanderers almost snatched all three points with seven minutes remaining. Marcos Alonso received the ball on the edge of the area and fired a low shot which was well saved by Forde, and N’Guessan would clear Kevin Davies’ header off the line from the resulting corner.
Wanderers: Bogdan, Ricketts, Knight, Ream, Alonso, Spearing, Andrews, Eagles (Sordell 80), Chung-Yong (Afobe 72), K Davies, Ngog (Unused subs: Lonergan, Mears, Pratley, Sordell, Eaves, Vela)
Millwall: Forde, Shittu, Trotter, Lowry, Henry, Beevers, Woolford, Keogh (Henderson 80), N'Guessan, Smith, Abdou (Unused subs: Taylor, Wright, Marquis, Batt, Smith, Osborne)