Nolan rescues Bolton at Tranmere

Tranmere 1 Bolton 1

Sam Allardyce breathed a sigh of relief tonight as Kevin Nolan’s equaliser kept Bolton in the FA Cup.

They will now host the battling Second Division side in a third-round replay a week on Tuesday.

By then Allardyce hopes to have a least one new face on board with Bolton facing the possibility of nine matches this month.

Striker Javi Moreno is expected to tie up his season-long loan deal from Atletico Madrid on Monday after the clubs agreed on the move.

Moreno’s imminent arrival follows the decision by experienced midfielder Ibrahim Ba to stay at the Reebok Stadium.

Ba had initially failed to agree terms but then had a change of heart in the hours leading up to the Cup match and was named in the starting line-up.

Bolton boss Allardyce said: “We have sorted it (the contract) out with him verbally and it will be it rubber-stamped on Monday. It is important to have a player like him in our squad.”

Ba was in a much-changed line-up with only Nicky Hunt, Emerson Thome, Stelios Giannakopolous and Henrik Pedersen regular members of the Premiership side.

Defender Charlie Comyn-Platt, an Academy graduate, made his first start for the club.

Allardyce made no apologies for keeping his key players fit and fresh for the match against Manchester United on Wednesday.

“The FA Cup is third on list,” he said. “I know full well Alex Ferguson will make six or seven changes to his FA Cup side.

“The league is our first priority and having reached the semi final of the Carling Cup that for us overtakes the FA Cup.”

Tranmere looked to have secured their passage into the next round when Simon Howarth put them ahead.

But they failed to take advantage of some good chances and were continually thwarted by 40-year-old goalkeeper Kevin Poole.

Nolan then came off the bench to level matters up with a sweet finish from 20 yards.

Asked if a replay was the last thing he wanted, Allardyce said: “No, not when you are losing 1-0.

“It keeps the momentum and the morale going as it is another game we have gone without losing.

“It was a hard earned draw by ourselves, particularly in the second half when we had to cope with Tranmere at their very best.

“Pooley kept us in the game – the old cat. He made some fantastic saves and Kevin Nolan took full advantage of Tranmere not capitalising on their opportunities.”

Bolton almost went ahead in the third minute when Delroy Facey raced away down the right only for his shot to come back off the post.

Haworth was being allowed room to manoeuvre and his powerful header from a Gareth Roberts cross struck the top of the bar in the 15th minute.

Tranmere took the lead in the 51st minute when Haworth got his reward for his industry.

He was on hand to knock the ball in after Mickey Mellon’s effort came back off the post.

Tranmere who were in the driving seat and they could have extended their lead.

Graham Allen saw a downward header go narrowly wide and then Haworth’s effort was superbly parried by Poole.

Iain Hume squandered a glorious chance for Tranmere in the 76th minute and two minutes later

Nolan equalised.

Manager Brian Little said: “I am disappointed considering the number of chances we had to have beaten Bolton.

“Although they will now be favourites to go through, it doesn’t mean we are out.

“The nice thing is we have an opportunity to look at the fourth-round draw and see where we might be.

“It is up to Sam to put out the side he wants. What we didn’t know was their system having watched their first team the last couple of games.”