Draw specialists Wanderers suffered another stalemate to drop more points in their promotion push, writes Pete Oliver.
A 15th draw of the campaign and fifth in the last seven games keeps Steven Schumacher’s men third in the table and still comfortably placed in the play-off race. But again, the Whites missed a chance to put some pressure on Cardiff City in second spot after failing to score for the first time in 12 games.
Wanderers’ unbeaten run now stands at 13 games after the two sides shared the points for the second time this season following a 1-1 draw at Doncaster on New Year’s Day.
Only league leaders Lincoln have lost fewer games than the Whites and their defensive record remains up there with the best after another clean sheet. But the difference between one point and three again proved frustrating on a night Schumacher’s side lacked the spark to register a 13th home win of the season.
Wanderers made five changes to their starting line-up on the back of another draw at Rotherham on Saturday as they looked to avoid dropping further points to another side scrapping for survival.
Johnny Kenny was one of those to return following a lively showing off the bench in the weekend comeback and on St Patrick’s Day the Irishman had Wanderers’ first effort with a volley he lifted over the top after Mason Burstow had laid off Josh Sheehan’s perfectly floated pass.
Wanderers had no shortage of balls delivered into the penalty area, Kyle Dempsey often the provider, while Thierry Gale whipped a shot just wide mid-way through the first half.
But Doncaster – on only their third visit to the Toughsheet Community Stadium and chasing a first win in Bolton since 1987 – also had their moments before the break. Tidy in their build-up, the visitors worked a number of shooting positions but only once tested Jack Bonham through a skidding effort from Robbie Gotts.
Wanderers were equally unsuccessful at the other end, although in the final minute of the first half the impressive Dempsey again provided the ammunition for Cyrus Christie to fire against the outside of a post.
There was no sustained momentum from Wanderers, though, and with just over an hour gone Schumacher replaced the right side of his line-up as Jordi Osei-Tutu and Rob Apter were sent on to try and add a cutting edge.
The move looked to work as the Whites suddenly looked more dangerous, Kenny curling over one cross that just needed a touch at the far post from Gale before substitute Ibrahim Cissoko did likewise from the opposite flank as time began to slip away.
Luke Molyneux had gone close for the visitors with another effort from outside the penalty area as Rovers looked for back-to-back wins to edge closer to safety but as Wanderers wound it up for another late push it took a smart save from Thimothee Lo-Tutala to deny Apter his first goal for the Whites.
Top scorer Sam Dalby then looked as though he was pulled back by Doncaster defender Matty Pearson as he tried to run onto a ball over the top but for once Wanderers, so often saved by a late goal, struggled to find a way through.
Seven minutes of added time couldn’t come to their rescue and Rovers could even have nicked it in stoppage time as substitute Jordan Gibson fired wide to spare Wanderers deeper disappoinment.
Wanderers: Bonham; Christie (Osei-Tutu 63), Toal, Johnston, Conway; Burstow (Apter 63), Sheehan (Rodrigues 84), Dempsey, Gale (Cissoko, 72); Kenny, Dalby. Substitutes: Harrington, Simons, Erhahon.
Booked: Dempsey
Doncaster Rovers: Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Byrne, Pearson, Senior; Gotts; Molyneux (Broadbent 88), Bailey, Clifton (Lee 72), Middleton (Gibson 84); Adelakun (Sharp 84). Substitutes: Oram (GK), McGrath, Gibson, Close.
Booked: Gotts, Pearson, Sterry, Byrne
Referee: Jamie O’Connor
Attendance: 19,570 (730 away)