PHIL Parkinson believes his Wanderers were not far away from claiming all three points against Stoke City.

The Bolton boss was delighted with a result which takes his side out of the bottom three on goal difference.

But he felt that after taking some of Stoke’s best shots in the opening exchanges, his team produced the best chances of the game.

“I’m very pleased with the manner of the display today. We stuck to the game-plan very well and in the second half in particular we pinned Stoke in and had a period where we could have gone on and won the game,” he said.

“But I said about a week ago about those 1-0 defeats we’d been having, and trying to turn them into draws, then into wins, and we’ve done that in the last couple of games.

“If you can’t get the win then you make sure you concentrate at the back and I felt we did that really, really well today and the clean sheet is a big bonus for us.

But for two big saves from Jack Butland to deny Christian Doidge and Mark Beevers, Wanderers could have been looking at back-to-back victories.

“An England international goalkeeper is always going to make big saves and he was good today but we put some quality into the box,” Parkinson said. “I think Josh Magennis, when he came on, offered us a threat. We very nearly got the win but it was a good point for us.”

Parkinson had words of praise for Josh Vela, who returned to the starting line-up in place of the injured Gary O’Neil.

“You have to give Vels a special mention, and I am pleased he got a terrific reception when he came off because his endeavour typified the performance.”

The mood was very different in the Stoke tunnel, where Gary Rowett was answering questions about loud boos from the travelling support, who chanted the name of absent playmaker Bojan Krkic.

“They can chant what they want at me,” said the Stoke boss. “That’s fair enough.

“I wouldn’t criticise them for giving me some sick either about the football or the amount of wins we have got.

“But to boo your own team after 20 minutes is not helpful. If I say it and I get criticism, I am not really bothered.

“We had control of the game for the first 20 minutes and passed the ball well. Our first backward pass and they boo.

“That’s not helping their own team and the one they support. I understand the frustration and I would rather aim their frustration at me.

“If we don’t win enough games we all know what the reality will be. The only way to help your own team on the pitch is to get behind them.”

On fans on-going support for Spaniard Bojan, Rowett added: “He has been a fantastic player for the club.

“But that was two or three years ago and we have got to move forward.

“I am surprised they didn’t chant Rory’s (Delap) name because he was a fantastic player for the club as well.”