Wanderers are rescued by Dobbie goal
BOLTON Wanderers boss Neil Lennon believes the league table is lying after super-sub Stephen Dobbie’s last-minute goal ended one of the worst records in the club’s history at home to Nottingham Forest.
Gary Madine missed a penalty in the 51st minute as Wanderers searched for their first goal in over ten hours of football.
And David Vaughan’s blockbuster strike nine minutes from time looked to give the visitors all three points, but injury-time substitute Dobbie struck an equaliser with his first touch four minutes into added time.
“We should have won the game,” said Lennon. “Last throw of the dice you throw Stephen on because he is a very, very good finisher and he had one sight of the goal and took it brilliantly. It was a very, very clever finish.
“Psychologically it was a huge lift and we did more than enough to win the game again and that has been the story of our season so far.We certainly don't look like a team that are second bottom in the table.”
Bolton thought they should have had a penalty when Madine was hacked to the floor by Jack Hobbs two minutes before the break, but referee Carl Boyeson waved away the protests.
But they were awarded a penalty minutes after the break when Matt Mills was adjudged to have handled substitute Liam Feeney's cross. But Dorus de Vries got down low to his right to deny Madine and extend Wanderers' goalless run.
The menacing Michail Antonio should have put the visitors one up on the hour mark when he raced onto the end of Tyler Walker's through ball but shot straight down the throat of Ben Amos.
But nine minutes from time the visitors led. Substitute Vaughan picked the ball up 25 yards out, turned, and smashed a shot straight into the top right-hand corner.
Lennon introduced Dobbie as the referee indicated there would be five minutes added time and the forward wasted no time in making an impact – striking a low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner to end Wanderers' worst ever goalless run that totalled 650 minutes.
“Of course we are disappointed with a late goal equaliser.” Forest boss Freedman said.
“Overall I thought it was a good performance. I thought it was the right result so I have no complaints.
“When we got our goal I thought we were going to win the game.
“We looked reasonably comfortable until they got the equaliser.”