WANDERERS fear midfielder Will Buckley could have a fractured leg after he was stretchered off just four minutes into his comeback game for the club.

The 30-year-old was re-signed to a short-term deal on Monday after battling back to fitness from a fractured kneecap sustained in October.

Buckley came off the bench to replace Ronan Darcy but was hurt in a challenge by Abu Ogogo, with Keith Hill left fearing the worst after the final whistle.

“Will Buckley could potentially have a fracture,” he said. “It’s sad, really, because you want players to be protected and I thought it was a 1980s challenge, took the ball and the player. But he took a serious chunk of Will and that could potentially be devastating for us again.”

Hill felt referee Andy Haines should have punished the challenge in what the Bolton boss felt had been a fairly patchy performance from the Tyne and Wear official.

“They get it wrong, have bad days like managers and players, and he’s probably not had one of his best games today,” he added.

“The consequences could be quite hard for us. It happened the same at Rochdale with Will when he fractured his knee in a similar sort of challenge where Stephen Dooley went straight through him.

“We paid a heavy price then and potentially we have again.”

It was far from a vintage Wanderers display but Daryl Murphy’s eighth goal of the season was enough to half a four-game losing streak.

Hill had all manner of selection problems in the build-up and revealed that he had missed out on two new signings – but was pleased with the way he players had dug in.

“We have had players who haven’t been able to train play for us tonight, players who have had to have injections going out there because they want to,” he said. “But the game on reflection was a misrepresentation of the honesty and the ability of those players, they looked very nervous, looked as though they were playing under pressure but they got a point.

“It’s a satisfactory point but the performances have to be better collectively and individually.

“Where we were yesterday and today, to get that point is quite rewarding. They deserve it.”

In what was a fairly subdued atmosphere at the UniBol, Wanderers struggled to get themselves going in possession and Hill felt there had been some nerves at play.

“We had some chances where you have to put them away,” he said. “Even though they are sparse, you are still in a game.

“It was 0-0 at half time and we were still in the game. It’s the first time we’ve had a 45-minute clean sheet for a long time. But the way we went 1-0 down was quite sloppy.

“The lads deserve a lot more reward than that display, a lot more credit and a lot more respect because they are trying to do everything they can to fight for this football club.

“Sometimes you can express it wrong, it can be channelled wrong, but every one of those players cares enormously.

“I am really pleased because of the week they have had. Josh Emmanuel complained of feeling ill and he’s another one we had to bring off. He said he could have played on but to what effect, what standard? It’s the standard that needs to be recreated to create competition for places.”