Keith Hill earns first point as Bolton hold Oxford

Posted Wednesday, September 18, 2019 by PA

Keith Hill earned his first point as Bolton manager after a 0-0 Sky Bet League One draw with Oxford at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Wanderers had lost four games and conceded 21 goals in the division since a 0-0 draw with Coventry under Phil Parkinson on August 10.

But Hill’s enterprising team shrugged off those drubbings, including last Saturday’s 6-1 defeat at Rotherham, to suggest brighter times ahead.

They could easily have turned one into three points with this crowd-pleasing performance. Will Buckley went closest with a 17th-minute shot against a post.

Goalkeeper Simon Eastwood kept out further first-half efforts from Ali Crawford and the tricky Dennis Politic.

Oxford, beaten now only once in six games in all competitions, showed more enterprise as the lively contest progressed.

Bolton goalie Remi Matthews saved from Ben Woodburn and Rob Dickie in the opening period and then denied Cameron Brannagan early in the second half.

Bottom of the table Wanderers, who began the season with a -12 points deficit, almost snatched a late winner only for Eastwood to tip over Jason Lowe’s 20-yard drive.