An injury time equaliser from Stelios - on just his second start of the season - saved Bolton from defeat which would have probably ended their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup. Instead they now need to win away at Red Star Belgrade next week to get through.
Bolton played very slowly last night, and Aris were definitely the better team throughout. They made the breakthrough (after several attacks, one resulting in the corner flag being kicked instead of the ball) just before half time, with Calvo volleying in Meite’s clearance from just inside the box. But despite no pressure up to that point, Wanderers should have equalised just a minute later when Andy O’Brien hit the bar when faced with an open net a couple of yards out.
After the break Bolton were a little brighter and after about 65 minutes Megson brought on Diouf and Anelka, and Bolton did look the better team for a while (I do realise this contradicts what I said earlier!). And they did make it pay eventually, but not before Nacho had the sparesly populated Reebok gripping their seats with a 40 yard lob which needed Jussi to tip over spectacularly. But Bolton did get lucky, and in the 2nd minute of injury time Alonso’s ball into the box managed to get through to Stelios, who volleyed home, in a goal that strangely reminded me of Saturday (watch it and you’ll see).
The overall performance was poor.
We did not get out of second gear. We started playing hit and hope balls but we kept going and got a really good point regardless of the way we played.
Our attacking play was one dimensional and the defending profligate and we gave them too many opportunities.
- Gary Megson
