FULL TIME: Wanderers 0 Fulham 0
4:50pm Saturday 14th August 2010 in Sport By Liam Chronnell
STAND-IN goalkeeper David Stockdale denied Wanderers an opening-day victory at the Reebok.
The keeper, making only his second appearance for the Cottagers in place of Mark Schwarzer, made a series of fine saves to frustrate Owen Coyle’s men.
He made two stunning stops to deny striker Johan Elmander who did everything but score in arguably his best performance for the club.
Stockdale was at full stretch to tip over the Swede’s shot three minutes after half time and he stuck out a leg to deny Elmander again after the £8.2million man’s superb burst into the area.
But it was Stuart Holden who came closes to breaking the deadlock for Bolton when the American crashed a 25-yard drive against the foot of the post with 12 minutes remaining.
Bolton new boy Martin Petrov forced Stockdale into the first action of the contest with a rasping half-volley on 18 minutes.
Moments later Bobby Zamora had Jussi Jaaskelainen frantically backpedalling in the Wanderers goal with an audacious first-time chip from 35 yards.
But it was all Wanderers after that and new manager Mark Hughes had Stockdale to thank for Fulham leaving with a point in his first game in charge.
WANDERERS: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Robinson, Cahill, Muamba (M Davies 86), Holden, Elmander (Klasnic 90), Petrov (Taylor 86), Knight, K Davies, Chung-Yong Lee. Subs: Bogdan, Ricketts, Blake, A O'Brien
Booked: Muamba
FULHAM: Stockdale, Kelly, Pantsill, Hangleland, Gera (Dempsey 74), Murphy, Duff, Hughes, Etuhu, Zamora, Davies. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Baird, Stoor, Riise, Greening, Elm
Booked: Zamora, Pantsil
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Attendance: 20,352
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