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  • Date:2006-01-14
  • Kick-off:17:15
  • Venue:Ewood Park
  • Attendance:18180
  • Referee:Riley, M

Live Commentary

90mins

It's finished all square with Bolton holding on for a point after having Nakata sent off in the first half

90mins

Kuqi's header comes back off the bar to deny Rovers what would have been a late winner

90mins

Bentley becomes the second Rovers player to be booked

90mins

There will be 4 minutes of stoppage time to play as the two sides look for a winner

87mins

Bellamy's header back across goal is eventually cleared by Bolton as the visitors continue to defend desperately

85mins

Bellamy glances a header just wide

83mins

Rovers are really pushing for a winner now but Bolton continue to defend well with time running out

81mins

Nelsen's effort looks to be heading in but it is cleared off the line by Campo

79mins

Jaaskelainen is now booked

77mins

Bolton new-boy Matt Jansen is makes his debut replacing Fadiga - just a day after joining from Blackburn

75mins

Pedersen's cross this time is poor

74mins

Kuqi's header from Bentley's cross is good but it's just wide

70mins

Craig Bellamy comes on for Rovers, replacing Morten Gamst Pedersen

70mins

Bruno N'Gotty is now booked for unsporting behaviour

69mins

Vaz Te wastes a glorious chance to open the scoring though for Bolton after rounding Friedel he slips in what is a really embarrasing miss

68mins

Blackburn have been far better in the second half but are still awaiting a goal

64mins

Emerton goes off for Rovers, with Shefki Kuqi coming on

61mins

Ricardo Vaz Te comes on for Stelios Giannakopoulos

60mins

Reid fires a shot from around 25 yards, but its wide

55mins

It's been a much better start to the second half, with Blackburn trying to make the most of their man advantage

52mins

Reid surges forward this time and his cross is aimed at Dickov but Tal Ben-Haim heads it behind

50mins

Reid tries his luck from distance but it's blocked before the ball ends up with Neill, who fires his shot over the bar

49mins

Jaaskelainen has to be alert to punch a cross clear as Rovers continue to dominate

47mins

Michael Ball's cross is met by the head of Emerton and it comes back off the underside of the bar, by far the best attack of the game

45mins

Still level at the break, in what has been a poor first half dominated by ill-discipline and that Nakata sending off

45mins

The second half gets underway with everyone hoping it will be better than the first

45mins

Reid is now booked after being adjudged to have dived

44mins

Emerton's header is on target but straight into the arms of Jaaskelainen

41mins

Dickov is inches away from connecting in the area from Bentley's cross but it's put behind for a corner

40mins

Joey O'Brien is now booked following another late tackle

38mins

Brett Emerton does well wide and it's another good ball in but it's partially cleared before it falls to Savage who lashes it over

36mins

Borgetti comes off for Ivan Campo as Sam Allardyce decides to change it tactically following the sending off

34mins

David Bentley does well and his cross is a good one but just evades everyone and Bolton can clear

32mins

Nakata is dismissed for a late challenge as tempers flare at Ewood

29mins

Fadiga is booked now as the game continues in a very scrappy fashion

26mins

Khalilou Fadiga's free-kick is easily gathered by Friedel

23mins

Very little in the way of real chances so far at a rather subdued Ewood Park

21mins

Davies fouls Savage as the game begins to descend into a a bit of a stalemate in the first half

18mins

Paul Dickov fires an attempt from just outside the area but it doesn't trouble Jaaskelainen

14mins

Morten Gamst Pedersen fires a corner to the near post but Jaaskelainen gather it

13mins

Nakata is booked for a late foul on Robbie Savage

11mins

Hidetoshi Nakata fires an effort goalwards as Bolton continue to break but Blackburn clear

9mins

Davies makes the most of poor defending from Lucas Neill but his shot is parried behind by Brad Friedel

8mins

Kevin Davies breaks well for Bolton but eventually Blackburn clear

5mins

It's been a fairly lively start at Ewood with both sides enjoying a good bit of early possession

3mins

Jussi Jaaskelainen has to be alert to save a Steven Reid shot

2mins

Jared Borgetti advances for Bolton but Rovers do well to clear the danger

0mins

It's a local derby at Ewood Park and Matt Jansen is on the bench for Bolton against his former club

Match Preview

Blackburn host local rivals Bolton Wanderers at Ewood Park looking to secure their fifth Premiership victory in a row.

Rovers took a maximum nine points from their three games over Christmas and, having beaten QPR 3-0 in the FA Cup last weekend, confidence is currently high among Mark Hughes' squad.

In midweek Rovers held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final to prove they can mix it with the big boys.

Morten Gamst Pedersen equalised for Rovers and Hughes was delighted with both the Norwegian winger and the efforts of the team.

"It was fantastic strike from Pedersen to level and we could have had a couple more," he said.

"United pushed us back after the break, but they didn't have any clear chances. The tie is still open so we're happy."

Bolton make the short journey across Lancashire looking to get their chase for European qualification back on track after a miserable festive period.

A disappointing Boxing Day draw with struggling Sunderland followed by a 4-1 humbling at Manchester United and an ill-tempered 2-2 draw with Liverpool has seen Wanderers slip down to seventh in the table.

Last weekend's 3-0 victory over Championship high-fliers Watford hinted that the current blip is exactly that, but with Sam Allardyce's squad poised to be decimated by African Nations Cup call-ups, it could leave Bolton thin on the ground.

Radhi Jaidi, Jay-Jay Okocha, Abdoulaye Faye and El-Hadji Diouf will all be absent for the next few weeks leaving the Trotters boss keen to use the transfer window to draft in fresh blood.

"He (the chairman Phil Gartside) knows how thin on the ground I am," said Allardyce.

"Behind the scenes we've got Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan and Ivan Campo back from suspension and hopefully Gary Speed and Henrik Pedersen back soon from injury. We need them back as quickly as possible."

As if to prove a point the Bolton boss played academy prospect Sam Ashton - a goalkeeper - as an outfield player for the final few minutes against Watford.


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Match Report

Blackburn Rovers extended their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions, despite not being able to break down ten-man Bolton Wanderers.

Hidetoshi Nakata was shown a first-half red card for two bookable offences as the two teams played out a second goalless draw of the season.

Following his side's midweek exploits in the Carling Cup Mark Hughes made three changes to his starting line-up.

Craig Bellamy, who was carrying a slight injury from Wednesday night, was replaced by Paul Dickov, whilst Brett Emerton and Steven Reid came in for Tugay and Shefki Kuqi.

Sam Allardyce, who was without four players on international duty, also made three changes to the side that defeated Watford in the FA Cup. Matt Jansen who joined Bolton from Rovers on Friday made the visitors' bench.

Both sets of supporters must have hoped for a passionate derby affair, but sadly it never arrived.

To make matters worse, referee Mike Riley, who booked seven players in all, proved to be the most talked about man on the pitch.

Nakata picked up his first booking for a late challenge on Robbie Savage after 13 minutes and just twenty minutes later, the Japan international was off.

As David Bentley skipped inside, the former Roma star took away his standing leg and was sent for an early bath.

The best chance of the half fell to Bolton forward Kevin Davies after nine minutes. Lucas Neill tried to chest the ball back to his keeper, but inadvertently played in Davies and the former Rovers man forced a good save from Brad Friedel from six yards out.

At the other end Dickov engineered space for a shot but fired wide on 17 minutes, before the home side produced the best move of the half eight minutes before the break.

After galloping 30 yards upfield, man of the match Reid fed Emerton on the right. His first-time cross was only partially cleared and the on rushing Savage blazed over from 20 yards.

The second half got off to a flyer, but the lively tempo of the opening five minutes was not sustained.

Three minutes in, Rovers broke quickly and when Michael Gray crossed for the unmarked Emerton in the centre, the Australian's header struck the underside of the bar and was cleared to safety.

Ryan Nelsen had two glorious opportunities cleared off the line, before Bolton substitute Ricardo Vaz Te ought to have won it.

Davies provided a defence-splitting pass and after rounding the keeper the Portuguese youngster looked certain to score, but lost his footing at the crucial moment and home skipper Andy Todd was able to clear.

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Corners

111

Fouls

2116

Goal attempts

183

Shots off target

142

Offsides

42

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