Bolton Wanderers vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
University of Bolton StadiumAttendance14,243.
Idrissa Sylla scored for the second successive game as QPR came back to snatch a deserved 1-1 draw at rock-bottom Bolton.
Saturday 21 October 2017 18:32, UK
Idrissa Sylla scored for the second successive game as QPR came back to snatch a deserved 1-1 draw at rock-bottom Bolton.
The Guinean forward struck with 12 minutes remaining of a scrappy game at the Macron Stadium, adding to his strike at Sunderland last weekend. Darren Pratley had given Bolton a first-half lead, heading home from close range and piling the pressure on Ian Holloway's side, who have not won a league game away from Loftus Road since February.
The West Londoners will feel they deserved a share of the spoils, however, having spent virtually the entire of the second half camped in Bolton territory. Syllla supplied the relief with his third of the season, cleverly diverting a Luke Freeman cross inside Ben Alnwick's left-hand post.
QPR had a couple of chances to nudge ahead early on, Alnwick making a good save from Josh Scowen and David Wheater denying Sylla with a desperate challenge in the six-yard box.
Bolton, buoyed by their first league win of the season against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, went close to the opener when Adam Armstrong combined with Josh Vela to crash a shot narrowly over the top from the edge of the penalty area. They took the lead on 22 minutes when Gary Madine headed down Vela's corner and captain Pratley stooped to nod home his first Bolton goal since January 2016.
QPR saw plenty of the ball for the remainder of the half but struggled to break down a Bolton defence which had kept just one clean sheet in the Championship this season. Darren Mackie sent one header towards goal just before the hour but Bolton keeper Alnwick did well to hold the ball without drama in torrential rain.
Vela could have made it two for the home side, latching on to a clever pass from the faultless Wheater but could not beat Alex Smithies at his near post.
Set-pieces were becoming a lottery for both sides in the high winds and Bolton were indebted to Alnwick for a smart save following a QPR corner which ricocheted off Sylla close in. Another Luke Freeman corner caused panic in the Bolton box with 15 minutes to go, the ball eventually falling for Scowen, who blasted a shot just over the bar.
Their defences were finally punctured when Pawel Wzsolek floated a cross from the right and Sylla got in front of his marker to divert the ball past Alnwick. Bolton found a bit of renewed fight late on and sub Filipe Morais had an injury-time effort deflected wide but ended up frustrated, with a point of little use to them at the foot of the table.
Phil Parkinson: "It was a difficult game and the conditions played a massive part but we adapted well first half. It was a good, solid performance. Second half we struggled to get any quality in our clearances or a wide player to get us up the pitch. So many times we slashed at things and we were under pressure again.
"In saying that there wasn't a lot of chances for either side. We had the better ones and a scruffy, deflected goal has got them back in it. I feel that from where we were prior to the Sheffield Wednesday game, four points from six, we would have taken that. Of course there's some frustration because when you're 1-0 up you feel like you should keep hold of the lead. But we don't look like a team who are short on confidence any more."
Ian Holloway: "Bolton are probably one of the biggest teams I've ever played against or maybe I'm getting shorter," he said. "We knew that but well done to them - they got two free headers in our box and scored. Our players should have dealt with it but it was against the run of play.
"In the second half I thought we were very professional and I want them to have more belief in themselves, and with the stats on what we created, we're more than happy with that."
