Match ends, Bolton Wanderers 1, Brentford 1.
BoltonBolton Wanderers1BrentfordBrentford1
Neil Danns scored a second-half equaliser as the Championship's bottom side Bolton Wanderers fought back to earn a draw with Brentford.
The Bees, watched by new head coach Dean Smith, took an early lead when John Swift curled in from 20 yards.
Home keeper Ben Amos saved from Lasse Vibe and Swift to prevent Brentford extending their lead.
And Bolton, whose players have not been paid this month, earned a point when Danns' shot bounced in off the post.
The draw was Bolton's seventh in nine home games this season, and they remain three points adrift at the bottom of the table after extending their run without a win to 12 matches.
It could have been worse for Neil Lennon's side as Brentford, with interim manager Lee Carsley in charge for the final time, had enough chances to have had the game won by the break.
Swift gave the Bees the perfect start by ending a fine passing move with a curled finish past Amos, who then saved brilliantly from Vibe when one-on-one before tipping Swift's left-foot volley over the bar.
Brentford captain Jake Bidwell then headed wide before Danns drove in the equaliser from 20 yards after Ryan Woods only partially cleared Liam Feeney's cross.
Visiting keeper David Button immediately saved Shola Ameobi's close-range shot to deny Bolton a second.
But it was Brentford who went closest to grabbing a late winner when Amos tipped Vibe's shot wide and substitute Konstantin Kerschbaumer sliced a shot off target.
Bolton boss Neil Lennon told BBC Radio 5 live:
"We know we lack a little bit of quality in certain areas so to go a goal down, the reaction was excellent.
"Ben Amos has shown his quality tonight, we're very pleased with him and he will improve as he's a young goalkeeper."
On the squad not being paid: "We spoke to the squad about the situation today and they will be a meeting tomorrow with Trevor Birch and a representative from the PFA.
"Hopefully that will clarify the situation for the players. We're pretty confident money will come in and they will get paid."
Brentford interim manager Lee Carsley told BBC Radio London:
"I'll be helping Dean Smith settle in and give him a better understanding of what the players' strengths and weaknesses are, and make the transition as smooth as we can.
"Hopefully we'll make it an easier process with the fact that the team is doing a bit better now than it was.
"I think Bolton's biggest strength was set-pieces and with the size of our team and the type of players in our team, we were always going to struggle with that. I felt that was the only way they were going to cause us problems.
"I felt going forwards tonight, that was as good as I've seen us. Lasse Vibe was a real threat and it was brilliant seeing John Swift in that form."
Line-ups
Bolton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Amos
- 6VelaBooked at 64mins
- 4Dervite
- 31Wheater
- 20Casado
- 18Danns
- 16DaviesBooked at 24minsSubstituted forDobbieat 90'minutes
- 7FeeneyBooked at 62mins
- 12ClaytonSubstituted forMadineat 40'minutes
- 21Pratley
- 26Ameobi
Substitutes
- 2Gouano
- 8Spearing
- 13Rachubka
- 14Madine
- 23Dobbie
- 27Twardzik
- 45Holding
Brentford
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 27Button
- 28Yennaris
- 26TarkowskiBooked at 90mins
- 22O'Connell
- 3Bidwell
- 12McCormack
- 20Diagouraga
- 15WoodsSubstituted forCanosat 68'minutes
- 18JudgeSubstituted forSaundersat 81'minutes
- 19SwiftBooked at 45minsSubstituted forKerschbaumerat 74'minutes
- 21Vibe
Substitutes
- 7Saunders
- 11Hofmann
- 16Bonham
- 17Kerschbaumer
- 24Gogia
- 29Barbet
- 47Canos
- Referee:
- Carl Boyeson
- Attendance:
- 12,731
Match Stats
Home TeamBoltonAway TeamBrentford
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away6
- Corners
- Home10
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bolton Wanderers 1, Brentford 1.
Post update
Foul by Josh Vela (Bolton Wanderers).
Post update
Konstantin Kerschbaumer (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Shola Ameobi (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Gary Madine with a headed pass following a corner.
Post update
Attempt missed. Darren Pratley (Bolton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Liam Feeney with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Konstantin Kerschbaumer.
Booking
James Tarkowski (Brentford) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sergi Canos (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Sam Saunders with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by David Wheater.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Konstantin Kerschbaumer (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Stephen Dobbie replaces Mark Davies.
Post update
Foul by Shola Ameobi (Bolton Wanderers).
Post update
James Tarkowski (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Shola Ameobi (Bolton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by James Tarkowski (Brentford).
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Ben Amos.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lasse Vibe (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Alan McCormack.
Post update
Offside, Brentford. Lasse Vibe tries a through ball, but Jack O'Connell is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Darren Pratley (Bolton Wanderers).
