Bolton 0-0 Blackburn: It's Grim Up North

[Shivek]

Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse took the applause from both sets of supporters as they honoured his recent 80th birthday.

It is a historic week for a club that has been a huge part of his life with the Trotters' first ever UEFA Cup game coming up against Lokomotiv Plovdiv on Thursday.

However, there was little for the former England striker known as 'the Lion of Vienna' or the home fans to cheer about at the start of such a momentous week in a 0-0 draw with Blackburn.

In fact it was Rovers who could have secured the points with a positive second-half performance.

• Allardyce makes no apologies

With both sides known for their ability to mix it physically it was no surprise the game got off to a lively start and one Lofthouse would no doubt have relished in his day.

Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage, rarely a stranger to controversy, won a free kick in the 11th minute when he went heavily to ground after a challenge by Stelios Giannakopoulos.

The home fans were incensed believing there had been minimal contact and TV pictures appeared to back them up.

Savage dusted himself down and curled in a free kick that was headed to safety by his former Wales team-mate Gary Speed.

Bolton almost took the lead after 18 minutes following a sweeping move. Henrik Pedersen, who is getting a regular run in the side, started it and released Kevin Nolan.

Nolan then pick out El-Hadji Diouf in the area and he rattled in a shot that was well blocked by stand-in captain Ryan Nelsen.

Giannakopoulos thought he had been tripped by Savage but referee Graham Poll waved play on. Then Campo was booked for blocking Morten Gamst Pedersen.

That brought angry Bolton boss Sam Allardyce to the touchline before he was escorted back to his technical area by the fourth official.

Blackburn found themselves on the defensive again after 29 minutes when Okocha delivered a long free-kick.

Kevin Davies flicked the ball on and Nolan was well positioned but he was slightly off balance and headed the ball wide.

Campo should have made the breakthrough in the 41st minute when he raced up front and escaped his marker.

He got on the end of an inswinging corner from Gary Speed only to power his header from in front of the posts over the top.

Bolton boss Allardyce made his first change in the 56th minute bringing on the versatile Ricardo Gardner for the tiring Giannakopoulos.

Gardner was back in the picture after a nagging hamstring strain forced him to miss the victory at West Ham.

The pacey Jamaican was quickly into the action and got away from Savage only to fire a shot over the bar.

Play switched down the other end and Brett Emerton delivered a superb cross towards substitute Shefki Kuqi only for Bruno N'Gotty to head the ball away.

A poor backpass from Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim put Jussi Jaaskelainen under pressure and Kuqi bore down on goal.

Jaaskelainen needed brief treatment after making contact with the big Blackburn striker.

This was a good little spell by Blackburn and Aaron Mokoena tried his luck on goal after being released by Emerton, only to send his effort over the top.

Bolton hit back and Ryan Nelsen was pulled back for a tug on Davies' shirt just outside the area. Okocha's

free-kick was well struck but Brad Friedel made a good parry.

Jaaskelainen then had to look lively to turn away a thunderbolt from distance by Steven Reid.

Substitute David Bentley, on loan from Arsenal, came close to making the breakthrough in the 77th minute trying to chip Jaaskelainen from the edge of the area after receiving the ball from Lucas Neill only for the goalkeeper to get a hand to it.

Certainly Bentley looked full of confidence after a bright spell with Norwich last season, although the club were relegated.

Neill then scuffed a shot wide after a mix-up involving the Bolton goalkeeper and his team-mate Nolan.

Campo and Nolan saw their half chances saved by American shot-stopper Friedel with both sides settling for a point apiece.

• Managers unrepentant

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is hoping his team step up the pace when they open their UEFA Cup campaign against Lokomotiv Plovdiv of Bulgaria on Thursday.

Allardyce was left with a feeling of frustration after the local derby with Blackburn ended goalless at the Reebok Stadium.

He said: 'It was an incredibly average game. Blackburn gave us a lot of respect and made life difficult. No-one in our team came out with a flash of brilliance that might have changed the game in our favour.

'It was a hugely scrappy affair but there were quite a few mediocre games at the weekend. Perhaps it was something to do with a lot of players on both sides being away on international duty.'

The Bolton supporters rounded on the side at the end after a poor performance. But Allardyce added: 'Sometimes necessity over-rules entertainment. If we had lost 5-4 I think the team would still have been booed.'

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes was delighted with the way his team went about their business.

'We coped comfortably with whatever Bolton threw at us and grew in confidence, ' he said. 'We stood up to them and I thought we were the team more likely to win the game.

'But when you come to the Reebok Stadium you take what you can out of the match.'

Hughes praised Bentley on his debut, stating: 'We put him in to take hold of the ball. He did and nearly got a goal.'