Report: Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Preston North End

Wanderers brought the curtain down on their pre-season exploits with a goalless draw against Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.

In a game of few chances, Darren Pratley did have the ball in the net on twice for the Whites, only to be denied by the offside flag on both occasions.

Despite the best efforts of both sides however, the match finished all square at the final whistle.

Mark Howard was in from the off for Wanderers having come into the fray as a second half substitute against Burnley in midweek, while Liam Trotter and Chris Taylor dropped to the bench and were replaced by Darren Pratley and Max Clayton.

Former Bolton striker Jermaine Beckford meanwhile lined up against his old club, partnering Joe Garner in attack for the Lilywhites.

With proceedings getting underway at BL6, the game started at something of a tepid pace with very few clear cut opportunities inside the opening stages.

Joe Garner however proceeded to enjoy the first notable chance with the match ten minutes old, only to see his volley from the edge of box narrowly clear the crossbar.

Darren Pratley then saw an audacious volley of his own find the net, but the flag had already been raised for an offside Max Clayton.

Those chances seemed to breathe some life into the game, with David Wheater seeing a close-range header comfortably saved by Anders Lindegaard halfway through the first period.

Former Wanderers man Beckford meanwhile saw his effort halfway inside the box fly wide of the mark shortly after.

The home side looked to have opened the scoring on the stroke of half time as Pratley bundled the ball home from a yard out after Lindegaard had parried Wheater’s initial header, but the offside flag denied him once again.

And at the break however, the scores were level.

With no changes for Wanderers at half time, the game restarted and Phil Parkinson’s men were forced to hold their own early on with Howard having to keep his cool under pressure from Paul Gallagher, with the goalkeeper floating out to the flank to clear a loose ball inside the opening stages.

Again however, chances were at a premium although Mark Davies’ mazy run and consequent link-up with Max Clayton at the byline almost led to a goal, only for the eventual ball across goal to elude a towering Madine in the six yard box.

Beckford meanwhile enjoyed a chance for North End, with the forward’s shot from ten yards clearing the crossbar with Howard untroubled between the sticks as the game reached its hour mark.

Wanderers were settling into the game more so as the half wore on though, with a couple of promising runs down the left flank giving the Preston backline food for thought.

The introduction of Kaiyne Woolery with just over a quarter of the clash remaining in place of Clayton almost reaped immediate dividends, but the youngster just couldn’t control the ball under pressure inside the area.

As the game entered its closing stages, a flurry of Bolton and Preston substitutes ensured that the flow of the clash was halted somewhat.

Mark Beevers meanwhile, a stalwart in defence for the Whites throughout the clash, saw a deflected half volley fly agonisingly wide of the upright with just over ten minutes to go.

Substitute Chris Taylor also tried his luck, this time from distance, but his effort clear Lindegaard’s crossbar, while Wilson and Woolery combined only to see the latter’s shot fly just over.

With just a few minutes to go, Woolery pelted down the wing and tricked his way into the box looking to find George Newell, but the young forward couldn’t get anything on the ball under pressure from two defenders.

That was to be the last real action of the game however as it was honours even at the final whistle.