Bolton Wanderers FC

• Nickname:
• Founded:1874
• Manager:Owen Coyle

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• Capacity:NaN

Ten-man Bolton snatch draw after thriller

29 Aug 2010 - 15:55:20

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Ten-man Bolton Wanderers hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Birmingham City after a pulsating and very entertaining match at the Reebok Stadium.

Owen Coyle's side appeared to be heading to defeat after having Jussi Jaaskelainen dismissed and falling two goals down to the visitors, but late efforts by Kevin Davies and Robbie Blake extended their unbeaten start to the campaign.

The Blues made a dream start when Lee Bowyer crossed from the by-line and Cameron Jerome touched the ball on for Roger Johnson to slide in his first goal for the club after just three minutes.

Matters went from bad to worse for the Trotters when Jaaskelainen was sent off for a needless slap on Johnson before the break and the three points appeared to be heading back to St Andrew's when Alex McLeish's side doubled their lead in the 51st minute.

Jerome timed his run to perfection as he headed James McFadden's cross down to Craig Gardner who forced the ball over the line.

However, Bolton refused to panic and they gave themselves a chance of salvaging a point from the match with 19 minutes left when they were awarded a penalty after Davies was bundled over in the area by Johnson.

Davies himself stepped up to coolly convert the penalty and Bolton grabbed a dramatic equaliser ten minutes later when substitute Robbie Blake fired in a brilliant free-kick.

With both teams pressing for a winner in the closing stages, it was the visitors that went closest to snatching all three points when Jerome was denied by the legs of Bolton's substitute goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.