WHEN Wanderers needed a moment of inspiration to save a wretched game at Rotherham – Christian Doidge was just the man to fit the bill.

The former community police officer, who just five years ago was pedalling his pushbike around the streets of Pentwyn, bailed his team out with a late goal at the New York Stadium.

Wanderers had been heading for trouble. Josh Magennis’s missed penalty at the start of the second half sparked an alarming slump, allowing Rotherham to forge ahead thanks to Will Vaulks’ scruffy free-kick on 57 minutes.

Parkinson’s stuttering side could easily have found themselves further behind but instead snatched a point late on thanks to substitute Doidge’s precise finish in front of nearly 2,000 travelling Bolton fans who stayed behind to applaud the summer signing off the pitch.

Still wide-eyed with wonder at the speed of his Championship journey, it is difficult not to root for the former Forest Green man who became Bolton’s most costly signing in five years when he arrived on deadline day in August.

An uncomfortable debut against QPR saw Doidge withdrawn to the bench and restricted to smaller cameos of late. With the game drifting away in South Yorkshire, however, he appeared to give a swift and solitary moment of ruthless finishing which was sorely lacking to that stage.

“It’s a big jump from League Two and it has taken a while to get into it,” admitted the Welshman.

“I’m an honest lad and I am telling the truth – the boys are a lot faster, stronger and cleverer. It’s up to me to get my head down and work hard, and that’s what I have done.”

Doidge’s CV suggests goals will follow if Wanderers can create chances but creativity has hardly been their strong point of late.

Parkinson switched to a 3-5-2 system at Rotherham, pairing Clayton Donaldson with Josh Magennis, yet his side failed to register a shot on target until Magennis’s penalty was clawed superbly from inside the post by Marek Rodak.

The first hour of the game was ugly to the point of unwatchable. Rotherham depended greatly on ex-Bury target man Michael Smith, unrecognisable from his miserable spell at Gigg Lane and a constant thorn in Bolton’s side.

Faced with a barrage of long throws and set pieces, Wanderers revelled in fighting fire with fire. The difference, however, was that the Millers did possess a modicum of guile in their build-up, notably through Jon Taylor and Ryan Williams, whereas the Whites were too often reduced to punting in hope rather than expectation.

Lloyd Dyer made his first start on the left flank and after initially looking ill-at-ease with more physical opponents, grew steadily into the game. His pace, undiminished despite his 36 years, could yet prove a weapon.

Parkinson’s starting line-up averaged more than 30 years between each player, the oldest in the Championship this season by some distance. Stamina never looked an issue, though Gary O’Neil was forced off in the first half with a calf injury, but the lack of football played through midfield at times was more of a concern.

Ben Alnwick was also back in the side after injury. His save from Richard Wood’s header was vital in the first half, as was one from Smith after the break.

Magennis should have added to his four goals this season by converting a penalty of his own creation. The Northern Irishman had done well to wriggle through Wood’s challenge on the byline, drawing a trip from the defender, and wasted no time placing the ball on the spot. He struck the penalty well enough but Slovakian keeper Rodak did well at full stretch to push the shot around the post to safety.

Deflated, Wanderers went into self-pity mode for the next 15 minutes, by which time they went a goal down and could have been further behind – Smith hitting the woodwork with a brilliant curling shot.

Vaulks’ free-kick was nowhere near as well-hit, passing under the defensive wall before bobbling into the corner. It would have been a suitably shabby winner for such a game but Parkinson’s decision to throw both Doidge and Yanic Wildschut into the mix would prove pivotal.

Whereas conservatism has often been the manager’s Achilles Heel this season, a positive approach in the last 15 minutes changed the mood of the game entirely.

Donaldson’s unselfish running was a feature of the afternoon and after winning Wildschut’s long, bouncing clearance he was able to free Doidge, who provided the kind of clinical finish which was his food and drink during his Gloucestershire days in League Two.

It would have all been academic had Rotherham been awarded a penalty in the 81st minute, as sub Ryan Manning claimed a trip by Wheater. Referee John Brooks thought otherwise and booked Manning for diving – much to the chagrin of the home support.

On first glance it appeared Bolton got a favour from the Leicestershire official, a view echoed by Millers boss Paul Warne after the final whistle, who claimed he had watched the incident back eight times to check its validity.

From a Bolton perspective, however, the finale could hardly have been scripted better. Doidge’s equaliser sparked joyous scenes behind the goal – although the striker later admitted a few fines last season reminded him not to jump into the stands and join in.

Doidge doing things by the letter of the law? Entirely appropriate for a player whose time with the police coincided with a rapid rise up the football pyramid.

“It’s a long way off – it feels like a lifetime ago,” he said. “I have to pinch myself sometimes.

“I left school and my dad said ‘you’ve got to get a job now’ and to be honest, I didn’t really want to be a footballer at that point. Or at least I was nowhere near it.

“When I was a community support officer I started playing for Camarthen in the Welsh Premier League and was lucky enough to get a trial at Dagenham, so it happened quite quickly.

“I absolutely loved the job. They get a hard time but they do a lot for the community.

“I was in Cardiff but on the outskirts, a place called Pentwyn. There wasn’t too much going on – it was quiet. A bit like Hot Fuzz on my pushbike.

“I still speak to everyone there. I’ve got about 100 texts from them now, everyone has been so supportive, they’ve followed me around the country.

“With my journey I wouldn’t change a thing. I have loved every job I’ve had. To finally get here makes me realise how much I wanted it.”