Late Hunt brace denies Bolton

Stephen Hunt
12 April 2012

Hull midfielder Stephen Hunt scored twice in the last 19 minutes as Bolton's defensive deficiencies allowed the Tigers to snatch a Barclays Premier League point in a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium.

Wanderers looked comfortable after Ivan Klasnic's 20th-minute goal and Kevin Davies' second-half header.

However, Hunt nodded in from close range to spread panic in a defence without a clean sheet all season and the Republic of Ireland international's cross-shot produced the equaliser 12 minutes from time.

After 20 minutes of relatively nondescript action Bolton took the lead out of nowhere with a typical piece of route one football.

Zat Knight's high ball forward was knocked down by Lee Chung-Yong, under pressure from Andy Dawson, on the edge of the area and Klasnic took one touch before blasting a left-footed shot past Boaz Myhill, who appeared slow to get across his goal.

Five minutes later Jussi Jaaskelainen fisted away Dawson's 25-yard free-kick and then had to be quick off his line to beat Jozy Altidore to Craig Fagan's through ball.

Bolton added a second with 29 minutes to play after Myhill came to collect Paul Robinson's free-kick from the halfway line as it dropped gently into the penalty area but he failed to reach it as Davies out-muscled Bernard Mendy to nod a back-header past him.

Bolton's hopes of a first clean sheet of the season were dashed in the 71st minute when their defensive frailty was exposed as Fagan crossed and Hunt out-jumped Gretar Steinsson to head home.

Seven minutes later the Tigers midfielder scored a fortuitous equaliser when Jaaskelainen could only get a fingertip to his cross-shot from Kamil Zayatte's punt to the far post and the ball crossed the line despite the best efforts of Robinson to hook it out

In the last minute Steinsson almost bagged the winner but his 18-yard shot was deflected just wide.

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