LENNON SALUTES NEW DAD ANDY
NEIL Lennon pinpointed goalkeeper Andy Lonergan’s pivotal save as the game’s defining moment after Bolton collected a slender victory over Huddersfield.
Craig Davies’ fifth strike this season was enough to clinch Wanderers’ third win in four games and lift them above Huddersfield to 18th.
But Lennon reserved special praise for Lonergan – who became a dad this week – after he denied Jacob Butterfield just after half-time with what he described as a ‘world-class’ save.
“You look at teams who win championships, you look at teams who win things, there are difficult moments in games where you need your goalkeeper and that was a difficult moment for us and Andy produced a world-class save,” he said.
“He’s in the team to make saves obviously but that was pivotal in the game.
“It was an important moment in the game because the first goal was always crucia,l but then after that, once we got the goal we looked very, very good so I’m delighted with that.
“But I’d like to see us start games a little bit better than we have done in the previous two games, Blackpool and here.
“It’s a huge win and I thought as the game wore on we got stronger and better and on the counter-attack we could have finished things off a little bit better.”
Davies could have handed the Trotters the lead after good work from Darren Pratley on the left, but the unmarked centre-forward’s 11th-minute effort crashed against the crossbar.
As first-half chances came at a premium in a midfield battle,Terriers skipper Mark Hudson clattered into Davies just outside the box on the half-hour, with Neil Danns floating the resulting freekick over.
Max Clayton’s 38th-minute ball bypassed Huddersfield’s rearguard to Davies, who returned possession to the ex-Crewe trainee who rifled off target past a diving Smithies.
Terriers top scorer Nahki Wells was released by Butterfield in first-half stoppage time and his powerful left-footed effort was pushed wide by a diving Lonergan.
After the break,Tim Ream gave away possession and Huddersfield broke though the lively Sean Scannell, whose low cross in the box was met by Butterfield but Lonergan’s lightning quick reactions kept the score level.
As the Yorkshire side’s momentum grew, Butterfield played an incisive 54th-minute through ball for Grant Holt whose effort went wide under pressure from an onrushing Lonergan.
But Bolton took the lead from a slick 67th-minute attacking move when Liam Feeney drove into the box and cut back for an unmarked Davies who slotted home coolly.
And Smithies soon denied Feeney a second after Davies had burst down the flank.
Huddersfield boss Chris Powell – whose side are now without a win in their last four league encounters – also felt Butterfield’s chance was the game’s turning point.
“A similar chance for Bolton goes in and one for us hits their keeper so we just have to dust ourselves down and believe we’re doing the right things even though results haven’t gone our way,” Powell said.
“You have a good chance to take one or three points from the game and I think it was fine lines looking at the game overall.
“I’ve got a disappointed changing room because we were very much in the game.
“We can’t lose our determination and focus because we know we can get results.
“We had a very good run but now it’s gone the other way and we’ve just got to show some real determination to turn it around and get ourselves back into the mix in the Championship.”