Report: AFC Fylde 0-0 Bolton

Wanderers continued their unbeaten run in pre-season but had to settle for a share of the spoils against AFC Fylde at Mill Farm on Tuesday evening.

There was a bright start to proceedings for the home side, with the Whites finding themselves under pressure from the outset.

Fylde weren’t troubling Mark Howard though in the Bolton goal, and after weathering the storm, the Whites were on the attack themselves with Jeff King instrumental as both Adam Le Fondre and Gary Madine went close to opening the scoring.

Bolton’s pressure continued, although the home side were still threatening on occasion as the game warmed up.

The best chance of the match meanwhile fell to the hosts halfway through the first period, with Andy Bond’s low drive at the near post somehow being kept out by Howard.

Wanderers were still looking the more menacing side however, with King again playing his part with impressive crosses into the box.

Madine also came close to opening the scoring, with a thunderous volley from close range being smothered by Taylor in the Fylde goal.

With the clock running down to half time, chances were at a premium and come the break, the scores were goalless.

There were wholesale changes for the Whites at the start of the second period meanwhile, with the entire starting XI being replaced for the final 45 minutes.

And Adam Armstrong, on his first appearance for the club, came close to a debut goal after being found by Sammy Ameobi, only to somehow put his effort from ten yards over the crossbar with just the keeper to beat.

The game then fell into a tepid state with neither side able to really gain a foothold in the clash.

Ameobi in particular however was warming into the encounter, with the wideman proving himself a nuisance for the home side.

Wanderers did have the ball in the back of the net with half an hour of the second half gone, but the assistant referee’s flag denied Armstrong a debut goal after the 20-year-old slotted home Will Buckley’s low cross.

Phil Parkinson did have to make an enforced change meanwhile with 13 minutes remaining, with Jem Karacan – who had been on the receiving end of a tough tackle – being replaced by Jack Earing for the final stages of the clash.

As the game entered its final ten minutes, the Whites picked up the pace and came close twice in quick succession, with both opportunities falling for Buckley.

There was still time for the home side to threaten however, with Dan Bradley seeing his long range effort crash off the post.

On the stroke of full time, Armstrong looked set to nick it at the death for Bolton when finding himself with just the goalkeeper to beat, but former Wanderer Jay Lynch denied him to ensure that it was all square come full time.

Bolton team first half: Howard, Little, Brockbank, Wheater, Beevers, C. Taylor, Perry, Pratley, King, Madine, Le Fondre

Bolton team second half: Alnwick, Darby, Dervite, Trialist, A. Taylor, Derik, Karacan (Earing 77’), Ameobi, Vela, Buckley, Armstrong

Read Time: 3 mins