Bolton Wanderers began their League One campaign with a positive point on the road against Ipswich Town.
Wanderers travelled to Portman Road to take on the Tractor Boys in the opening day of the campaign. The Whites did the double over the Suffolk outfit last season.
They took the lead after 25 minutes when Leif Davis bundled over Conor Bradley in the box for a penalty. Aaron Morley stepped up to coolly slot home from the spot.
READ MORE: 'Real big test' - Verdict on Liverpool defender Conor Bradley's Bolton Wanderers debut vs Ipswich
But the Tractor Boys equalised before half-time when Conor Chaplin's corner was met by Lee Evans to tuck home an effort which Wanderers ought to have defended better. The hosts were on top after the break but Wanderers rode out periods of pressure to secure a good point on the road against one of the division's top sides.
Here, we analyse the encounter from a Bolton perspective and pick out the positives and negatives for Wanderers from the opning day of the campaign.
Ups
Bradley's impressive showing
Liverpool loanee Bradley has impressed with his showings in pre-season after joining in the summer for the campaign. He was handed his first competitive start for the club yesterday.
And the wing-back put in an impressive shift in his first competitive start as he grew into the fixture. He won the penalty which put Wanderers in front.
The defender put in a solid shift all-round defensively and showed what he can do going forwards. Though there is clearly more to come from the teenager, it is a very encouraging start.
Point on the road against one of the best in League One
Ipswich are one of the favourites to go up this season and rightly so based on the first game of the season. They have invested and recruited heavily of late and particularly this summer.
Several of those new acquisitions featured against Wanderers. It included the likes of Freddie Ladapo, Leif Davis and Marcus Harness.
The fact that Wanderers managed to get a point against such a side on the road in the first game of the season is a big plus. There will be many sides which come away with nothing from Portman Road this season, but the Whites are not one of them and it is a good point picked up.
Defensive resilience shown
On occasions last season, Wanderers came under the cosh defensively and were not able to hold out in periods of opposition pressure. Those times returned particularly in the second half against Ipswich.
There were several times where the Tractor Boys looked like they were going to go in front. James Trafford was called upon to keep out George Evans' header and Sam Morsy's effort at the death.
As Ian Evatt noted afterwards, his side showed great resilience and one which has seldom been seen during his tenure where Wanderers have had to batten down the hatches and grind out a result. That happened against Ipswich and is evidence Wanderers can put in such a display if the game requires it.
Williams & Johnson put in fantastic shifts
Two players in particular caught the eye for Wanderers, besides the impressive wing-back Bradley. MJ Williams and George Johnston in particular were standouts.
In the first half especially, Williams seemed to be everywhere on the pitch. The energy levels on show to cover the pitch and snuff out danger outside of central midfield was great to see.
Johnston was part of a largely watertight Bolton defence only breached via a set piece and a training ground routine. The young defender put in block after block and was a big factor in helping to restrict chances for the Tractor Boys.
Downs
Set piece goal conceded
Wanderers conceding from a set piece is nothing new. It has been one of their weaknesses under Evatt.
But the more disappointing thing about the manner of how Wanderers conceded yesterday was not just that it was from a set piece. It was a low delivery into the box, some skillful blocking by Ipswich and the finishing touch was applied.
It felt like a move straight off a training ground, the one which is immensely gratifying for the side which scores and deeply frustrating for the team conceding. The goal also gave Ipswich a route back into the encounter, which they may not have otherwise had.
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