West Brom 1, Bolton 1: Chris Lepkowski's question for fans

Oct 4 2010 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

LET me put a question to Albion fans: would you have taken four points from the last two games?

I think so. Arsenal away and Bolton at home are tough tests at the best of times.

The Trotters, for instance, have lost only once – to Arsenal in controversial circumstances – and bring a combination of strength, power and quality to the key areas of the pitch.

What Saturday’s game told us more about was the character within the home dressing room.

The first half was poor, tedious even, with both sides shuffling around the pitch in chess-like fashion.

But the game opened up in the second half and, again, Albion were having to play catch-up.

For the fourth home game in succession, they conceded first and had to fight to restore parity.

Good fortune did help. Bolton’s goal came from a spot of poor defending on Gabriel Tamas’ part but also good movement from the visitors.

Fabrice Muamba played the ball to Chung-Yong Lee, who passed to the brilliantly under-valued and under-rated Kevin Davies.

He spotted Johan Elmander peeling away from the defender and slotted the ball past Scott Carson.

Tamas was lucky not to be punished again a few minutes later when he belted the ball at Martin Petrov only for the bounce to favour the Bolton winger and fall into his path as he got clear of the Albion defender. He ran towards goal but hit his shot wide.