Bolton Wanderers were defeated by Blackburn Rovers 1-0 at the University of Bolton Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship.
When talking to bwfc.co.uk after the game, manager Phil Parkinson covered the following topics…
On his assessment of the game…
It is a game we have dominated for long periods.
We had enough play tonight to get something out of the game.
What has cost us is our final ball, not just from wide areas but the ball to slot a striker through to get a goal.
It wasn’t quite there, but there are been a lot of very good performances tonight and in many aspects, the play was good.
But we didn’t really produce in the areas where it mattered to get a point or even win the game.
On deserving at least a point from the clash…
Like I said, there are many aspects of the play that were very good.
We can be happy with that, but we have better players in that final third than we showed at times.
That cross into the box which missed the first man or just not putting the ball in there with enough belief has probably cost us tonight.
It is hugely frustrating because it is a game that we have dominated and even in the first half, we have had the better chances.
Their keeper has pulled off a couple of great saves and in the second half it has been all us.
They have sat in deep, let us have the ball and I thought we moved it terrifically well.
Some of the slickness of the football we played tonight was excellent.
On Remi Matthews having a great game despite the result…
I thought he has done really well since he has come into the team.
He is really calm on the ball, his kicking is good and distribution is excellent.
Apart from that, he has hardly touched the ball.
Even the goal, we could have avoided it.
There was a bit of naivety there from us, which has cost us.
The lads are disappointed like myself, because the endeavour, honesty and bravery to keep playing I thought was superb.
On the goal being quite unfortunate to concede, considering the defending prior to it…
Remi has made a great save and Wheats has made a tremendous block and it has just fallen to the one player you don’t want it to fall to.
On the decision to not give Christian Doidge a penalty…
It was the correct decision and I can’t argue with it.
I have seen it back and he was offside.
On the international break being a chance to rest, recuperate and go again…
It is certainly important.
We have players like Jack Hobbs that have played three games in seven days and those players in particular will need a break.
We will need to do some work and get ready for the next batch of games.
They are a great group of lads and they are hurting because it is a local derby and we know what it meant to the supporters’.
I think the fans have seen a performance which certainly didn’t lack in terms of effort and quality in two thirds of the pitch.
It was just that final third that has let us down.