KIERAN Sadlier sent Wanderers into the League One season on a positive note as he grabbed a stunning equaliser with virtually the final kick of the game against Huddersfield Town.

Ian Evatt’s side will have felt aggrieved that they were heading for a defeat, having played some excellent football in patches against a club which narrowly missed out on Premier League football last season.

There were chances at both ends – but Danny Ward’s header in first half stoppage time looked like it would be the difference maker until Sadlier came up with a magical finish in stoppage time.

Wanderers went in a goal down at half time but will have felt a little hard done by, having grown into the game well by the halfway stage.

Old boy Ward did the damage, finishing off an inviting cross from the right from Sorba Thomas with a perfectly-timed header in front of Ricardo Santos.

Evatt’s men had been slow to start with early chances falling to Ward, Josh Koroma and sub Kieran Phillips, who had entered the action after an early injury to Matty Pearson.

Gradually, Bolton assembled some constructive possession and found plenty of space out wide with wing-backs Declan John and Conor Bradley. The latter was involved in the Whites’ first big chance, playing a square pass across the box for Aaron Morley to nudge for Dapo Afolayan, whose low shot squeezed just wide of the post.

James Trafford had not been seriously tested until midway through the half when Kieran Lee and Phillips connected with a Thomas cross, the Bolton keeper pushing the ball athletically over the bar.

Wanderers might have had a penalty when Tom Lees’ clearance was charged down by the industrious Dion Charles, who then claimed his marker had dragged him down as he tried to get a shot on goal.

And just two minutes later Santos had to make an emergency block in front of his own goal after Phillips managed to tuck a close-range shot under Trafford.

What had been an even contest then tipped the other way as Huddersfield seized the lead with Ward’s well-taken header.

Huddersfield might have had a second shortly after the restart as Jonathan Hogg headed wide from six yards, kicking out at the net in disgust as the ball bobbled wide.

Bolton were not going to roll over, however, and after Morley had a fizzing shot blocked on the edge of the area, Ricardo Santos – still without a goal in competitive football for the club – saw a header bounce off the upright.

Afolayan became more and more influential as the second half wore on and started off a flowing move with a fine turn on the left wing which ended with Bradley having a shot deflected just over the bar by Lees.

Wanderers made a raft of changes one of which, Amadou Bakayoko, was denied from close range by Terriers’ keeper Nicholls after latching on to Kieran Sadlier’s pass.

Elias Kachunga was inches away from turning in another dangerous ball from Sadlier six minutes from the end – but Wanderers could not find a way through. At least not until Sadlier popped up with a thunderous left-footer to beat Nicholls.