Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Shrewsbury Town: Full time match report

Bolton had been dire for 45 minutes, conceding goals to Josh Feeney and Jordan Shipley and leaving the pitch to frustrated boos from the home support.

Kyle Dempsey and Szabolcs Schön got them back on level terms by the hour mark but the Whites could not find the killer third goal despite putting huge pressure on the visitors’ goal.

Evatt then saw red after confronting ref Declan Bourne and Shrews defender Morgan Feeney in angry scenes on the half way line after the match.

Wanderers were forced to give a first league start to keeper Luke Southwood after Nathan Baxter picked up an injury before the game, and also switched their front two from the midweek win at Northampton, bringing Dion Charles and Victor Adeboyejo back for John McAtee and Aaron Collins.

After three straight wins, expectancy hung in the air at the Toughsheet as the Whites played host to a team sat second bottom of the table with just one league victory in their last 15 games.

There had been plenty of talk about making a fast start but Paul Hurst’s side did everything they could in the early stages to make sure Bolton did not get what they desired.

Just as they had done back in April, the Shrews looked at their most dangerous whenever they had a set piece. And they sent an early shot across the boughs when George Nurses’s bouncing volley was nearly nodded home by John Marquis.

Bolton’s lack of continuity contributed to the sanguine atmosphere and the visitors were able to chisel out a foothold in the game on 20 minutes.

Ricardo Santos had already bailed out Josh Dacres-Cogley with a last-ditch tackle on George Lloyd but when the Whites failed to clear the ball and conceded a corner, Nurse’s blocked shot fell to Josh Feeney, who had time and space to slot his shot home at the far post.

For just a few minutes Bolton looked like mustering a response, passing a probing on the edge of the penalty box without managing to test Toby Savin’s goal.

Then, another unremarkable bit of defending saw them go two down. Jordan Shipley was found on the edge of the box from a corner in an identical manner that he had been in the corresponding fixture just six months ago. Before the kick was taken, Ian Evatt was seen to be screaming some instruction, which presumably went unheeded, but suddenly his side had a mountainous task on their hands to get back into the game.

Szabolcs Schön had one effort saved from Savin, Santos another blocked at close range, but the slow tempo was playing directly to Shrewsbury’s strengths and their small band of travelling fans could scarcely believe their luck at half time.

Evatt resisted the temptation to make changes at the break – but his words thankfully did provoke a positive reaction.

Dempsey got Bolton on the board with a composed finish, having been found by a raking ball from Dion Charles.

From there, the home supporters found their voice and it was a one-way tidal wave of pressure to the final stages.

Shrewsbury still killed every moment they could. Every injury, every goal kick, every throw in lasted a few moments longer.

Wanderers needed composure. A few hopeful shots were flashed at goal, but everyone knew what was coming – and moments later Dacres-Cogley and Dempsey conspired to set up Schön for his first goal in English football.

The next question was could Evatt’s side go on to find a winner, and one that looked a remote bet back in the doldrums of the first half?

Josh Sheehan had one effort tipped wide by Savin at close range, Adeboyejo and Dempsey also had efforts charged down when all outfield players seemed to be crammed into the Shrewsbury penalty box.

The visitors defended with everything they had as Bolton looked for one more decisive moment to win the game. And though Evatt brought on McAtee and Collins to try and add new energy up front, the threat started to fade with 10 minutes of normal time to go.

In fact, Wanderers got away with one towards the end as Santos clattered into Lloyd on the edge of the box and referee Declan Bourne failed to play an advantage as Funso Ojo wound up to shoot. Leo Castledine also whistled the free kick just wide, to gasps of relief around three sides of the ground.

The fourth official showed eight minutes of injury time – which was a meagre amount considering Shrewsbury’s indiscretions – but it was enough time to create one more meaningful chance.

Williams flashed one low cross towards the front post, narrowly missed by McAtee, then a 96th minute drive from George Thomason was deflected into Collins’ path close to goal, but Savin managed to spread himself and save.

Then, with virtually the last attack, Matete stood a cross up for Santos, who headed wide.

Referee Bourne blew his whistle with the final minute of stoppage time still ticking down, something which was clearly on Evatt’s mind as he marched to the centre circle to remonstrate.

An angry exchange with Morgan Feeney seemed to spark the referee to show a red card, with the Bolton boss squaring up to the Shrews defender directly in front of the referee.

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