BBC Sport - Football - Bolton 2-2 Blackpool (original) (raw)

Blackpool celebrate

Evatt (centre) is mobbed by his colleagues after scoring in the first-half

Bolton came from two goals down to share the spoils with Blackpool in a thrilling draw at the Reebok.

Defender Ian Evatt headed the visitors ahead in the first half from a precise Elliot Grandin corner.

Luke Varney headed another Grandin corner into the Bolton net to make it 2-0 just before the hour.

But Martin Petrov pulled one back with a delightful volley and Mark Davies rescued the home side with a calm side-foot finish a minute from time.

Before the match, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway had spoken of his admiration for Owen Coyle, who has turned Bolton into attack-minded entertainers this season.

Indeed, with 26 goals from 14 matches, Wanderers came into the game unbeaten in November and with a goal tally bettered by only four Premier League sides.

Holloway hails 'brilliant' Blackpool

Yet the home side initially struggled to achieve such penetration against their Lancashire rivals and had it not been for the Seasiders' refusal to sit on a two-goal cushion Holloway could have left the Reebok with the upper hand over his opposite number.

That said, it was the home side who warmed to their task in the opening exchanges as striker Kevin Davies tested Blackpool keeper Richard Kingson with a stinging volley.

Matt Taylor almost celebrated his 29th birthday with a goal but his lofted shot over the Blackpool defence grazed the crossbar and bounced on to the roof of the net.

The Seasiders had no intention of merely making up the numbers, however. Skipper Charlie Adam whipped in a great cross for the on-rushing Varney but Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen pounced before the striker could get a toe on it.

And Blackpool showed the form that has seen them win so many plaudits this season, breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour after DJ Campbell forced a corner with a well-hit shot that was deflected past the upright by Zat Knight.

Grandin stepped up to take the resulting corner and defender Evatt was first to the ball, leaping above the Bolton defence to head into the top corner.

The Seasiders had their tails up and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell and Adam tested Jaaskelainen, the latter's cheeky long-range lob almost catching the keeper out.

Yet Bolton are renowned for their second-half strikes this season and though they left the pitch at half-time a goal behind, they were nipping at Blackpool's heels from the restart.

Kevin Davies almost bagged an equaliser but Neil Eardley did just enough to put the striker off.

Kingson was called into action at the other end as Swedish striker Johan Elmander unleashed a shot but his effort was firmly held by the Blackpool keeper.

Elmander's inability to replicate the fine form that has seen him score eight times this season was punished minutes later as Blackpool netted again. In what was almost a repeat of Blackpool's first goal, on-loan striker Varney rose to head home Grandin's corner to put the visitors two goals up.

Bolton boss Coyle was clearly not prepared to allow his team's unbeaten run to peter out and he threw on Rodrigo Moreno and Martin Petrov in a bid to bolster the attack.

Attacking intent paid off - Coyle

The move almost paid off when Petrov was presented with a chance to pull Bolton back into it but he misfired horribly on the edge of the box.

It was a gloriously open game as Blackpool, despite their two-goal lead, opted to chase a third goal and came close to getting it through DJ Campbell who missed two chances to score.

Coyle responded by sending on a third striker, Ivan Klasnic for midfielder Fabrice Muamba, and Bolton were soon on the attack again.

Davies missed a great chance to score after Kingson parried a Mark Davies shot into his path but the England striker failed to get on the end of the loose ball.

Petrov almost made up for the miss seconds later as Bolton peppered the Blackpool box with shots but the visitors survived.

The substitute finally delivered, though, when he scored with a crisp volley on the edge of the box to set up a tense finale.

And Bolton grabbed an equaliser only a minute from time when Elmander and Klasnic exchanged passes to set up Mark Davies for a cool finish.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle: "At 2-0 down we had a mountain to climb but we finished with six attack-minded players.

"I was prepared to lose three or four-nil to get back into the game and we finished with a real high and might have snatched in at the end.

"It was a great advertisement for the Premier League and I thought Blackpool were terrific as well."

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway: "We have to learn to cope with a situation where we are 2-0 up away from home and trying to see the game through.

"You won't find me complaining - before the start of the day we would have taken a performance like that and one point, I think we are value for money.

"I believe that playing like that will get us more points than it loses us, it was a great game to watch."

Live text and stats

Saturday, 27 November 2010

Barclays Premier League

Home Team Score Away Team Time
Bolton 2-2 Blackpool FT
(HT 0-1)
Petrov 76 Davies 89 Evatt 28 Varney 57

BOLTON

BLACKPOOL

Possession

Attempts on target

Attempts off target

Corners

Fouls

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