Lennon looking for firepower
BOLTON boss Neil Lennon says he will have to uncover another recipe for finding the back of the net after admitting his side have fallen off the goal trail following their scoreless draw with Ipswich.
Eidur Gudjohnsen’s return to the Bolton side caused the biggest cheer of the day as Mick McCarthy’s Tractor Boys were also frustrated in their attempts to snatch a winner, with Jay Tabb twice thwarted by Andrew Lonergan.
But McCarthy believes his side has what it takes to stay at the top end of the table as Ipswish continued a run of just one defeat in 17 outings, while Bolton remain unbeaten in six.
Lennon said: “We had two very good chances in the first half but Ipswich came on strong after the break.
“There wasn’t much between the sides but injuries to our strikers have disrupted the way we like to play.
“I am pretty pleased with a point. If you can’t win a game then you make sure you don’t lose it and Ipswich are a strong team.
“We need to find another recipe for going forward but we are six games unbeaten and we are gradually clawing our way up the table.
“Eidur Gudjohnsen did great when he came on. He gave us a good injection of quality and he showed he has plenty of fight left in him.
“We have kept three cleansheets in a row but the goals have dried up for us a little.”
An early lob from Ipswish striker Daryl Murphy was tipped over the bar by Lonergan.
Max Clayton then saw his shot deflected the wrong side of the post after stealing into the penalty area at the other end.
Jay Spearing saw his shot go wide from similar distance on 33 minutes after replacing Clayton, who was carried off following an innocuous looking fall.
Tabb should have given Ipswich the lead ten minutes into the second-half when David McGoldrick’s shot cannoned off David Wheater and into his path before Lonergan rushed out to block his effort.
Wanderers fans gave Gudjohnsen a huge standing ovation as he entered the fray after a 14year spell away from the club. But Tabb almost silenced them when his diving header was well saved by Lonergan soon after.
McGoldrick saw his attempt slide agonisingly wide of the far post on 63 minutes as Ipswich continued turning the screw.
But it was Lee Chung-Yong who came closest to providing a grandstand finish when he unleashed a late strike that was deflected just past the post.
McCarthy said: “It was a good point. We were the dominant team in the second half but Bolton probably edged matters before the break.
“We defended well and I don’t think our goalkeeper had a save to make. I was wary of them nicking a goal towards the end because I didn’t want to walk away with nothing.
“Bolton are back on form now and I asked the players and they told me it was a tough game. There are some good teams at the top of our league and if people have us down as one of them I would be delighted.
“We’ve been playing well and we are on a good run. I hope we can keep it going and I am really looking forward to the game against Middlesbrough now.”