Report: Liverpool 0-0 Bolton
IN BRIEFA replay at Macron Stadium will be required to separate Wanderers and Liverpool after the two sides played out a 0-0 draw at Anfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
In a game of few chances, Dean Moxey came closest for the Whites while Adam Bogdan was to be the hero on the night as he denied the hosts on a number of occasions.
Bolton will now go into the hat for the fifth round of the competition which will take place on Monday evening.
TEAM NEWS
Wanderers’ starting XI boasted former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, while Adam Bogdan also returned between the sticks for the first time since the Whites’ 1-0 victory over Wigan in the third round of the cup.
FIRST HALF
The game began with gusto, with both sides showing their mettle early during a feisty opening period.
Wanderers were the first side to show any real pressure infront of goal though, with Heskey unable to get his shot on while Matt Mills saw his own effort blocked at range.
The hosts were soon on the attack themselves though, with Adam Lallana narrowly failing to connect with a clever through ball which Tim Ream calmly shielded into the arms of Bogdan.
Jordan Henderson was next to try his luck for the Reds ten minutes in, with his half volley from distance being comfortably parried away from danger by the Bolton goalkeeper.
Wanderers however were dealing with any pressure thrown their way, while Phillippe Coutinho ensured that Bogdan was on his guard with a thunderous drive from 20 yards.
Up the other end of the field, Darren Pratley saw a header from just inside the penalty area narrowly clear the crossbar, while Raheem Sterling squandered an opportunity for the home side after powering in on goal.
Sterling was again in the thick of the action on the half hour mark, with the striker’s shot from ten yards taking a deflection off Mills in the body and skidding into the arms of Bogdan.
The Whites then had the collective hearts of Anfield in mouths as Dean Moxey struck a ferocious shot from all of 35 yards, but the full-back saw his effort fly narrowly wide of Simon Mignolet’s near post.
Liverpool responded however with a goalmouth scramble involving Adam Lallana and Joe Allen, with Glen Johnson’s powerful half volley from the resulting loose ball nestling into the Bolton shot-stopper’s arms.
As the clock ran down to the half time break, Wanderers almost stunned Liverpool as Dorian Dervite’s downfield pass caused Mignolet to panic under pressure from Gudjohnsen, but the keeper managed to clear his lines and save his side’s blushes.
SECOND HALF
The home side made one change at the break, bringing on Lazar Markovic in place of Jose Enrique, while Liverpool were the first side to cast their eyes towards goal in the second period at Sterling saw his shot blocked.
No sooner had the hosts pushed forward though, Wanderers were on the front foot themselves with Pratley at the forefront of the Bolton attack, while Eidur Gudjohnsen saw his lofted free-kick from 25 yards clear Mignolet’s crossbar with 51 minutes
gone.
Bogdan was to be the hero two minutes later as Sterling broke free of the Bolton defence to find himself in on goal, but the Hungarian was quickly out of his net to block the ball and clear it to safety.
Heskey was withdrawn shortly after with the frontman receiving a standing ovation from all four sides of Anfield as Conor Wilkinson took his place.
Almost immediately however and with Liverpool forward in their numbers, Coutinho came close on two occasions – once with a rebounded effort just inside the box, and another which forced a smart save out of Bogdan yet again.
Wanderers looked set to open the scoring just after the hour mark as Tim Ream’s curling ball into box was met by Gudjohnsen, only for the Icelander’s first touch to send the ball wide of the post.
Josh Vela was next to provide for the frontman as he made a run to the byline before pulling the ball back into the path of Gudjohnsen, but he was unable to keep his shot down with the goal at his mercy.
With the game heading into its final quarter, Fabio Borini, a second half substitute for Liverpool, forced Bogdan to parry his curled effort around the post with Anfield already on its collective feet.
Jay Spearing was next to receive applause from Anfield, with him replacing Matt Mills with 18 minutes left.
The game was balanced on a knife edge with both sides pouring forwards in their droves in a bid to find a winning goal in the clash while Henderson was left calling for a penalty kick after going down in the box, but to no avail.
As the match entered four minutes of injury time, Borini saw his glancing header fly inches wide of the upright for Liverpool while Henderson also skied an effort high and wide, but the game was to end goalless with the tie to be settled in a replay at
Macron Stadium.
FULL TIME