Wanderers drew 1-1 with Wigan Athletic in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon, with Will Buckley putting the Whites in the lead early in the first half before Will Grigg levelled proceedings in the first half.
Team News
Phil Parkinson made three changes from the starting eleven that lined up against Sheffield Wednesday.
Christian Doidge replaces Josh Magennis in the starting line-up, with Craig Noone and Will Buckley replacing Yanic Wildschut and Marc Wilson.
First Half
Wigan went close five minutes into the first period, with Josh Windass pulling the ball back to an unmarked Lee Evans, who fired over from 15 yards out.
Wanderers went ahead through Will Buckley within minutes of the opening chance, as a ball into the area found the winger who took a touch before dispatched it past Walton.
Phil Parkinson’s men were in the ascendancy for the majority of the opening exchanges, with dangerous balls into the area from Craig Noone, Pawel Olkowski and Will Buckley being cleared by last ditch Latics challenges.
However, 25 minutes into the clash and referee Simon Hooper awarded Wigan a penalty, as Jack Hobbs had been adjudged to have fouled Will Grigg in the area.
The Northern Irishman stepped up and sent Ben Alnwick the wrong way.
Wanderers nearly took the lead just past the half hour mark through Christian Doidge.
The ball was sent high into the air, with defender Mark Beevers to meet it as he cushioned it down for the Welshman.
On the turn, Doidge hit it towards goal but couldn’t find the target.
Wigan responded five minutes from the interval, with Reece James darting a ball across the penalty area looking to find Cedric Kipre, but Andrew Taylor cleared the threat.
Second Half
The Latics had the first chance of the second period, with a Sam Morsy run find Gary Roberts who drilled his shot low and hard, but off target.
Two minutes prior to the hour mark and Windass gave a lifeline to the Whites, as he turned away from Joe Williams and fired goalbound for eight yards but could only find the side netting.
The wide-man went close again twice, with a shot well saved by Ben Alnwick in the Wanderers goal.
Both sides continued to fight it out as the game wore on, with a lot of the possession being played in the middle third of the pitch, with neither side being able to stamp their foot on this Sky Bet Championship clash.
Nathan Bryne produced a superb curling delivery into the area, nearly finding McManaman at the back post before Mark Beevers expertly put the ball behind.
From the resulting corner, it flew through numerous bodies to the far post, where Christian Doidge popped up to clear the ball away from a certain Latics goal.
McManaman came close to unleashing an effort which would’ve sealed three points for the away side, but a sensational Pawel Olkowski tackle at the far post stopped any chance of the winger having a sight on the Wanderers goal.
A superb Yanic Wilsdchut cross into the area followed for Wanderers, with Craig Noone latching onto the end of it and firing the ball across for Christian Doidge but Wigan defended it valiantly.
A shout of handball echoed around the University of Bolton Stadium soon after, as it seemed to have hit a Latics arm in the defensive effort.
Full Time
Wanderers XI: Alnwick, Taylor, Lowe, Beevers, Doidge, Ameobi (Wildschut 77), Buckley (Magennis 68), Noone, Hobbs, Olkowski, J. Williams.
Unused substitutes: Matthews, Vela, Oztumer, Wilson, Wheater.