Away to Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers 0 – 1 Bolton Wanderers

Ground: Ewood Park | Attendance: 27,662 | Referee: Mike Dean

  • [61] Campo – Bolton
  • [88] McCarthy (Penalty Miss)
  • [90] Roberts (Another Penalty Miss)

“We were not at our best but
we have got away with it.”

Ivan Campo took The Trotters ahead shortly after half-time while Bolton’s Jussi Jaaskelainen becoming the match hero after saving two penalties in the last couple of minutes of the game.

Campo scored with ease with the help of a superb El-Hadji Diouf corner kick which picked out the unmarked midfielder.

The first of the two penalties looked questionable as substitute Jason Roberts decided to take a spectacular tumble after Quinton Fortune’s hard but fair tackle.

Justice was served with all the trimmings of excellence when Bolton’s Jussi blocked Benni McCarthy’s. The Finn found himself at the mercy of another penalty when Roberts fell again just moments later.

Referee Mike Dean seemed more certain this time as Roberts found Nicky Hunt and Gary Speed blocking his pathway to goal. Captain Kevin Nolan protested profusely and argued with the referee from the Wirral (Tranmere fan?) only to find himself being sent of in the last minute of normal time, booked.
Nonetheless, Jaaskelainen managed to block the second penalty kick, this time taken by tumbling Roberts.

Perhaps Blackburn should have won as they performed better overall on the night and took more shots (27 in all) – but they failed to pick up Ivan Campo in the box, allowing him to head the winning goal. As for Jussi’s performance, remarkable and heroic are two words that spring to mind.

Bolton boss, Sam Allardyce, gave the Wanderers’ ball-stopper well deserved high praise but seemed to forget about Ivan!

“His performances this year have been better than ever before but none more so than today.

“The goalkeeper has made a hero of himself by saving two penalties and got us three crucial points. He has to pull all the stops out and made life very sweet for us.”

Sam also admitted:

“We were not at our best but we have got away with it.

“It is our resilience and our strive to be successful that keeps us going.

“I have never had a last five minutes like that. It was quite bizarre but we move onwards and upwards.”

If the result and saves were not satisfying enough Bolton had put an end to their local rivals unbeaten run of 8 games.

  • http://www.bwfc24.co.uk/blog/2006/11/25/home-to-arsenal/ BWFC24 » Blog Archive » Home to Arsenal

    [...] An early headed goal by Abdoulaye Faye took The Wanderers ahead, boosting team confidence. It was a much needed boost as Bolton had only gain 1 point from 9 so far this month and had not won a match since their visit to Ewood Park on October 22nd. Bolton pressured The Gunners who were forced to defend deep in their own half. The Arsenal defence often seemed panicked and clearances from the box tended to fall to well positioned Bolton players who we ready to launch the ball back dangerously into the Arsenal penalty box. [...]