Adams hails Ferdinand’s late late show

Bolton 2 Leicester 2

The 37-year-old striker came off the bench to equalise with a trademark towering header deep in stoppage time and leave Bolton stunned after they had taken the lead through Ivan Campo's second goal of the season.

Leicester had gone ahead through Marcus Bent only for Bruno N'Gotty to level the scores.

N'Gotty returned to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury. He partnered Simon Charlton at the back with Emerson Thome dropping down to the bench.

Afterwards Leicester manager Micky Adams paid tribute to Ferdinand who took the club out of the relegation zone.

After playing a full game against Newcastle on Stephen's Day, Adams decided to give the big man a bit of a rest.

"If you had seen him training yesterday morning you would have left him on the bench as well," said the Leicester boss after the 2-2 draw.

"Les deserves all the plaudits he gets. Once a scorer always a scorer it's an instinct."

Bolton seemed to be heading for victory thanks to goals from Bruno N'Gotty and Ivan Campo after Marcus Bent had opened the scoring.

But Adams was delighted with the spirit of his side. "I have been saying all along we have a decent squad," he said. "Perhaps we are lacking in quality but I don't make any apologies because that costs millions of pounds. If you are out of the bottom three over the Christmas period it gives everyone a big boost.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce was furious with referee Neale Barry and thought they should have had a penalty when Kevin Davies went down under a challenge from Ricardo Scimeca. "There is no question about it. I am 100% certain it should have been given. The referee's assistant has actually given the penalty as well by putting his flag across his chest."

Allardyce added: "We heaped too much pressure on ourselves at the end by giving them too many free-kicks and corners.

"That's disappointing. Even though you are tired you have to remember to defend correctly."

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Charlton, Gardner, Campo, Giannakopoulos (Pedersen 75), Djorkaeff, Okocha, Nolan, Davies.

LEICESTER: Coyne, Curtis, Scimeca, Heath, Thatcher, Hignett (Brooker 72), Scowcroft, Izzet, Davidson, Bent (Stewart 84), Dickov (Ferdinand 71).

Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).