Here we go, then. Squeaky bum time, bitey fingernail time, scratchy ear time, nervous twitch time. Three to go, and we could still stay up without getting an other point.

For the last time this season, Friday night was put-up-the-bait time, as the Portsmouth scran is laid on courtesy of Tom’s catering. Lee and Shirl managed to get from Sunderland to Thinford in 15 minutes flat, almost as fast as we got to Derby for the Ladies’ FA Cup Final (see next issue of ALS for details), and we were comfy and away. By way of a first, we overtook another bus (Gus the Bus, as it happens) on the A66, and were in Lancaster far too early for the Borough to be open. When nothing had happened at eleven, we headed for the John O Gaunt, where we picked up a random Lancaster-based mackem and saved him the train journey to Bolton by giving him the empty seat on the bus. It’s nice to be nice, as you never know when you might need a favour yourself. There was even time for a pint in the new Hyde’s pub, where we tried the Jekyll’s - just for a change. Apparently I have to say a big hello to Brit Peacock, who should be back from his holidays in T’Egypt where he notably refused to wear black and white headgear when offered it. Nice one.

Bolton was awash with red and white when we arrived, but with up to 5,000 having made the trip, it wasn’t surprising. Having had enough of paying over the odds for tickets, we’d opted for the cheapo downstairs seats, thankfully just out of the splash zone when the rain came down.

Fulop
Bardsley Ferdy Dav Collins
Deano Leadbitter Teemu Richo Steed
Jones

One up front, and no surprise, as we’d actually done quite well with that formation away from home this season. You’d think that we’d be fairly withdrawn with that midfield, but it was as fair old pace for the first fifteen minutes as we went at Bolton. When the game settled down, Leadbitter fired well wide, then Deano fed Richardson who hit it over from about 20 yards on about 18 minutes. Collinds then won a header and we shot into the side netting, then good interplay created a decent chance that was put over the top on 21. Not bad, we thought, as Bardsley slung in a cross that was headed behind for a corner on our left. At this stage, despite their possession, Bolton’s most potent attacking weapon was the bloody drum in the crowd, which irritated the life out of everyone but the person beating it. The home side got back into the game, and it took a couple of good defensive headers from Whitehead to clear our lines. When Steed looked to be through he was well held up, then it took a great tackle to stop Richardson. Bardsley joined in the forward play just before the break, but we were happy to be level as the rains came down at half time.

Bolton made one change for the second, and thy showed first, but the first meaningful play was a great move from us that saw a cross come in from the left, but just too far in front of Jones. Ten minutes later Keyring fired a free over from 25 yards out, then Jones seemed to pick up a knock and lasted only a few more minutes, in which Steed put in a great tackle, before being replaced by Cisse on 72. Bolton came at us again, and this time it was Leadbitter who put in a great tackle to halt their progress, and we nearly got in on 77 following a free kick. With ten to go, Cisse won a good centre-forward’s header to set up a shot, but it came to nothing. Teemu was replaced by Reid, and immediately set up Cisse on the right to hit it into the box hard and low, but no-one could get the vital touch. Reid put it in from the left, but Bolton got there first, and went down our end to volley over the top. Reid burst into the box on 90 minutes, through the middle, only for his marker to punch the ball away from him. Fair enough, it was on the ref’s blind side, but the linesman had a good enough view to have given it. Bloody coward. I say. Djib flashed a typically flamboyant effort over the top from a wide position when a shot was the only option in the 3 extra minutes.

So it ended 0-0, but a much more positive performance, if you get my drift. The whole team seem to have taken to heart the criticism hoyed their way in the last week, and done something about it. Teemu was what you’d expect, with a solid anchoring display, while Bardsley was captain in all but name at the back. Jones worked hard up front, and his replacement did the right things in the 20 minutes he was on the field – ran down the channels and held the ball up well. In midfield, Leadbitter played it safe and effective while Steed and Deano worked their socks off. Richardson did the occasionally flashy stiff which is necessary in this division, and Fulop played a really good game, coming for and taking everything that came his way.

While we didn’t look much like scoring, we looked more like scoring than the home side despite fair periods of pressure from them, prompted by old boy McCann and the number 15 with the daft haircut and the long throw. With Stoke keeping Hull in freefall, a point was a decent return, especially with West Brom keeping on keeping on. A draw at the Piggery on Monday night means that WBA could get past Hull, the mags, and the smogs (or is my maths too optimistic?). Whatever, as long as we don’t lose at Pompey next Monday, we might be safe, but that depends on Villa winning at Boro and they can’t seem to be able to beat an egg at the moment. At least we’ll know all the other results by the time we kick off (Setanta, sod off).

Man of the Match? Right performance at the right time from Grant Leadbitter, but backed up by sound displays all round, most notably from Bardsley, Collins, and (defensively at least) Whitehead.

Keep the Faith.

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