FULL-TIME REPORT: Blackburn Rovers 0 Bolton Wanderers 0

Gary Bowyer’s side moved up two places to 20th in the early Championship standings after their first clean sheet of the campaign guaranteed a share of the spoils.

But they could still find themselves back in the relegation places going into the international break if results go against them on Saturday.

If that happens that will do little to ease the pressure on Rovers boss Bowyer who last weekend was subject to reports he had been sacked.

They proved unfounded.

And there was no question his fully committed players played for him here.

But, ultimately, they did not do enough to record their maiden victory of the campaign at the sixth attempt.

And the final outcome would have been worse had man-of-the-match Shane Duffy not denied Emile Heskey a late winner for a poor Wanderers team who, like their opponents, also went a fifth league game without a win.

Rovers were handed a much-needed boost before kick-off when Jordan Rhodes was declared fit to start his first match in two weeks.

And it was Rhodes who went closest to opening the scoring in a first half that was never in danger of setting pulses racing.

After Duffy had flicked a Tommy Spurr free kick over the bar, the returning Rhodes fizzed a near-post header past the post after Nathan Delfouneso had set-up Craig Conway for the cross.

Further good hold-up play by Delfouneso later led to another opportunity for Rhodes.

This time Ben Marshall stood up a cross toward the near post where the Scotland international arrived to power a head an inch or two over Ben Amos’ bar. He should have done better.

But, despite looking the more likely team to break the deadlock, Rovers fell short in the final third, best summed up when Delfouneso blazed horribly wide after doing all the hard work.

Not that Bolton were any better. Indeed it was not until injury-time at the end of the opening period that they mustered their first serious attempt at goal, Gary Madine heading over at the back post.

They did have two strong penalty appeals turned down, though, after Zac Clough and then Mark Davies went down in the box.

But fortune also smiled on Wanderers when Wellington Silva got away with a booking after kicking out at Adam Henley off the ball.

Referee Paul Tierney, who handed out eight bookings, angered both sides throughout.

Bolton started with more purpose after the restart and Clough teed the ball up for Silva to side-foot over.

That came after Duffy had headed over a corner from Conway, who had earlier saw a shot deflect past the post.

Rovers, though, were struggling to generate any momentum, and Marshall and Corry Evans were replaced by Fode Koita and Danny Guthrie.

And, after Tommy Spurr had a free kick tipped over the bar, Koita should have made himself an instant hero.

Conway flighted a corner to the back post where Spurr nodded the ball downwards toward goal.

Spurr’s header was hacked off the line by Davies.

But from five yards out, Koita could only hammer the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.

Koita later had the ball in the back of the net. His close-range effort, however, was correctly ruled out for offside.

By that stage Modou Barrow had come on for Rovers, and Heskey for Wanderers.

And, with three minutes of normal time left to play, Heskey must have thought he had won it.

Clough’s ball across goal was parried out by Raya to the Rovers nemesis, who would have swept it into the empty net had it not been for an incredible goal-line clearance from Duffy.

Further drama followed in the five minutes of injury-time when Dorian Dervite received his second yellow card.

But 10-man Bolton hung on.

Rovers: Raya, Henley, Duffy, Hanley, Spurr, Marshall (Koita 58), Lowe, Evans (Guthrie 68), Conway, Delfouneso (Barrow 78), Rhodes. Subs not used: Steele, Kilgallon, Olsson, Lawrence.

Booked: Duffy, Evans, Hanley.

Bolton: Amos, Wilson, Dervite, Prince, Moxey, Davies, Danns, Feeney, Silva (Heskey 79), Clough, Madine. Subs not used: Fitzsimons, Vela, Spearing, Dobbie, Casado, Finney.

Booked: Moxey, Silva, Davies, Danns, Dervite.

Sent off: Dervite 90.

Referee: Paul Tierney.

Attendance: 14,632 (2,283 away).