HERO MURPHY MAKES UP FOR PENALTY MISS
Striker bags winner after spot of bother
DARYL Murphy snatched a last-gasp winner just seconds after missing a penalty to spur Bolton’s unlikely bid for survival.
Financial problems saw the Trotters docked 12 points before a ball was kicked this season, and Keith Hill’s side could yet face further sanctions for failing to fulfil two fixtures either side of the summer break.
An independent panel met to discuss the issue in the week and a verdict is due to be delivered on Wednesday.
But after Murphy’s redemptive strike moved Bolton on to positive points for the first time this season, Hill refused to let looming clouds overshadow a “euphoric” victory.
“We’ve had plenty of knocks, plenty of scraps, plenty of kicks,” said the former Rochdale boss, whose side have now won three straight games.
“What happens, happens. We don’t expect anyone to be a victim. It’s just another obstacle to be overcome – through positive performances like that one.”
To describe Bolton’s performance as positive was pushing it, and even Hill was honest enough to admit the game wasn’t a great spectacle. Given it was contested by League One’s two lowest scorers, that is hardly surprising.
Safe. Slow. Ponderous and dull. Neither side could summon the urgency their respective league positions demanded, let alone find a spark of invention.
Crossing was poor. Chances scarce. Joe Mason, a former Bolton player, blew a one-on-one with Remi Matthews. For the home side, Luke Murphy and Daryl Murphy forced good saves from Lee Nicholls. Even when MK Dons were reduced to 10
men on the hour, little changed. George Williams, already suffering at right-back, inexplicably shoved Bolton substitute Thibaud Verlinden in the face and was already walking before Andy Madley produced his red card.
“That’s not in George’s character,” said Dons boss Russell Martin, taking charge of a league game for the first time after replacing Paul Tisdale as manager last week.
“He’s a really good pro. He gives 100 per cent every game. He’s made a mistake and he knows that. He’s apologised to the lads and that’s the end of it.”
If Martin was entitled to expect a Bolton cavalry charge, it didn’t materialise. His depleted side dealt comfortably with the Trotters’ lacklustre attacks and should have led when centre-back Joe Walsh hooked over an open goal from barely six yards.
Not even a gift-wrapped chance from the spot was seized. With 93 minutes gone, Baily Cargill unluckily handled an Adam Chicksen cross. Murphy stepped up. But Nicholls – excellent all afternoon – had saved his previous two penalties, and made it a hattrick with a smart dive to his left.
“At that stage, I’m thinking, just don’t get frustrated and lose it,” admitted Hill. In fact, his side launched one last attack.
Luke Murphy burst down the left wing, leaving Conor McGrandles for dead. The midfielder then calmly picked out his namesake, who calmly despatched a low left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the net.
“You’re just looking for that one opportunity and we thought we’d got it,” said Hill. “So for us to be denied – you think that’s it. To get the winning goal in the way we did was superb. It was euphoria, and reward for the character of the players.”
For Martin, too, there were plenty of positives to seize. “To a man, I thought they were excellent,” said the 33-year-old, whose side suffered a ninth defeat in 10 games. “I was extremely proud of the performance and it’s gutting that it ended like that.”