Bolton 1 Wigan 1: Chris Kirkland carried off on stretcher

06 January 2011 00:34
The last time Mike Pollitt was seen playing for Wigan, the goalkeeper had to pick the ball out of his net eight times at Stamford Bridge.[LNB]That was on the final day of last season and many suspected it would be a rather sad farewell to the Barclays Premier League for the Bolton-born keeper.[LNB] Flat out: There was eight minutes of stoppages when Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was injured in the second half[LNB]But called off the bench after an hour last night when Chris Kirkland was concussed in a collision with Johan Elmander, Pollitt - who turns 39 next month - produced three saves right out of the top drawer to earn Wigan a point after Ronnie Stam had cancelled out Rodrigo's opener. Two saves denied Elmander at point-blank range.[LNB]Kirkland, who was playing after being recalled from his loan spell at Leicester because first-choice Ali Al Habsi was ineligible to play against his parent club, will be kept in hospital for a day as a precaution but manager Roberto Martinez said the news was 'positive'.[LNB] Worrying: Johan Elmander, who had made the challenge, shows his concern as Kirkland is carried off[LNB]'There was nothing intentional,' added Martinez. 'But Mike Pollitt is a clear example of how a professional should behave.'[LNB]Wigan suffered another blow when they lost Tom Cleverley to a hamstring injury inside 10 minutes. He is expected to be sidelined for a month.[LNB] Give me Moreno: Bolton Wanderers' Rodrigo Moreno was on target for the first time[LNB] [LNB] Bolton have injury problems of their own, and for the second game in a row manager Owen Coyle was only able to name four substitutes after striker Ivan Klasnic said on Twitter just before kick-off that he was not fit.[LNB]After an awful first-half, Mark Davies fed Rodrigo, the 21-year-old winger on loan from Benfica, who kept his cool to finish well.[LNB] Tough conditions: At times the torrential rain made things difficult for both sets of players[LNB]But Stam replied late on to give Wigan a slightly undeserved point after converting Steve Gohouri's cross. A draw was not enough to lift Wigan out of the relegation zone but Coyle said: 'If you'd offered them a point before the game they would have done handstands to get it.'[LNB]BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen 6; Ricketts 5, Cahill 6, Knight 5, Robinson 6; Rodrigo 7 (Petrov 83 min), Muamba 5, M Davies 7, Taylor 6 (Blake 90); K Davies 6, Elmander 6. Subs not used: Bogdan, Alonso.[LNB]WIGAN: (4-5-1): Kirkland 6 (Pollitt 62, 8); Gohouri 6, G Caldwell 5, Alcaraz 6, Figueroa 6; Stam 7 (McManaman 90+6), Thomas 5, McArthur 6, Watson 5, Cleverley 6 (Diame 12, 5); Rodallega 6. Subs not used: Gomez, S Caldwell, Lopez, Robinson.[LNB]Booked: Figueroa, G Caldwell, Diame, Stam [LNB]Man of the match: Mike Pollitt [LNB]Referee: Phil Dowd 6 [LNB]  Bolton v Wigan: how the action unfolded at the Reebok StadiumClub-by-club guide to every Premier League transfer deal during JanuaryAll the latest Bolton news, features and opinionAll the latest Wigan news, features and opinion [LNB]  Explore more:People: Johan Elmander, Mike Pollitt, Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez, Ivan Klasnic

Source: Daily_Mail