PARKINSON A STRIKER LIGHT
BOLTON boss Phil Parkinson challenged his side to keep producing results as his striking options return to the fore after a goalless draw against former side Bradford.
Both sides drew a blank as Bradford maintained their unbeaten league record while Bolton remain without a win in their last five league games.
And Parkinson pinpointed the absence of Gary Madine, Keshi Anderson, Max Clayton and substitute Zach Clough following the tight encounter, but admitted he enjoyed facing his ex-employers.
“If you take four strikers out of any squad at this level, it affects you and while we’re waiting for those players to come back, we’ve got to keep churning out the results and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
“It was a good, honest performance from us. We stuck at it, we rolled our sleeves up and were committed.
“They’re a good team, they’re unbeaten all season and when you’re unbeaten at this stage, there’s reasons for that.
“It’s been a long week building up to this game but I enjoyed it and enjoyed the occasion.”
Trotters skipper Jay Spearing stung Colin Doyle’s palms with a long range effort within 30 seconds while Jamie Proctor headed James Henry’s corner over as Bolton started positively.
Both defences remained on top until Sammy Ameobi’s 27thminute close-range shot was deflected just wide by some desperate Bradford defending.
Timothee Dieng produced the Bantams’ first shot in anger after the half hour with a longrange effort which failed to trouble Mark Howard, while Mark Marshall drilled straight at the Bolton stopper five minutes later.
Dean Moxey had a moment to forget when he misjudged a 49th-minute ball forward and nearly let Marc McNulty through on goal, but the Bantams striker was eventually thwarted.
Proctor’s smart touch set up Bolton prodigy Clough on the edge of the box with 15 minutes left and the youngster thundered an effort inches wide.
Marshall’s dangerous stoppage time cross was met by Bantams substitute Jordy Hiwula but the Huddersfield loanee’s header glanced agonisingly wide.
But Bradford boss Stuart McCall was satisfied with a point, despite drawing their fifth league game in a row.
“We would have liked to have created a few more problems for them, but it’s a good point,” he said. “I’d much rather have a 3-3 than a 0-0, but both sides defended strongly and it was a tight, hard-fought game.
“We’re just aiming to do our best and if we can be in the mix at the end of the season, obviously that’s the aim. I’m sure Bolton will be.
“Sometimes you go and you play for 0-0 and you sit in and defend – we didn’t do that, we still felt there was a goal in us, we carried a threat to them.”