Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Leeds United: Shola Ameobi debut goal cancelled out by Mirco Antenucci penalty at Macron Stadium

• e-mail

Steve Evans is still unbeaten as Leeds boss after Mirco Antenucci's penalty denied Shola Ameobi a match-winning debut for Bolton.

But Evans may have wanted all three points in his second outing after rock bottom Wanderers played the last 19 minutes with 10 men due to Prince-Desire Gouano's red card.

Ex-Newcastle striker Ameobi's first goal in 530 days had earlier handed Neil Lennon's basement boys a 32nd-minute lead.

Bolton Wanderers' Shola Ameobi (centre) nets on his debut for the club against Leeds United at the Macron

Ameobi celebrates in front of his home fans after handing Neil Lennon's basement boys a 32nd-minute lead

MATCH FACTS AND CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE

 

BOLTON WANDERERS: Amos, Osede, Gouano, Wheater, Casado, Vela, Danns (Dervite 79), Pratley, Davies (Dobbie 45), Madine (Ameobi 12), Feeney.

Subs not used: Clayton, Rachubka, Twardzik, Walker.

Scorer: Ameobi 32.

Sent off: Gouano. 

LEEDS UNITED: Silvestri, Byram, Bamba, Cooper, Berardi, Dallas (Buckley 74), Murphy (Mowatt 45), Adeyemi, Cook (Phillips 87), Antenucci, Wood.

Subs not used: Wootton, Bellusci, Doukara, Horton.

Scorer: Antenucci 71 (pen).

Booked: Byram. 

Venue: Macron Stadium.

Attendance: 18,178. 

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)

But Bolton, with only one win in their first 13 games, could not hang on to lift themselves off bottom.

Bolton suffered an early setback after 11 minutes when striker Gary Madine left the field with suspected concussion following an innocuous looking clash with Liam Cooper.

That brought a sooner than anticipated debut for Ameobi.

He was preferred to Emile Heskey as a replacement off the bench, getting his first game time since playing for Crystal Palace against Stoke on March 21.

Five minutes later, Leeds almost made the breakthrough.

Cooper flicked on Luke Murphy's corner and Tom Adeyemi side-footed against a post from eight yards.

Wanderers carved out a chance of their own after 20 minutes. Referee Simon Hooper played a good advantage and skipper Darren Pratley slid in Liam Feeney, whose angled left foot drive skidded just wide of Marco Silvestri's goal.

And it was Bolton who took the lead after winning a cheap corner on the half hour when Silvestri flapped at Feeney's cross.

Ameobi high fives with team-mate, goalkeeper Ben Amos at the end of the Sky Bet Championship match

From Jose Casado's flag kick, the ball broke to Ameobi who fired low and hard from 12 yards to stun Leeds fans massed behind Silvestri's goal. It was his first goal since netting in a 3-0 win for Newcastle over Cardiff on May 3, 2014.

Ameobi then turned provider with a delicious through ball for Feeney, whose first time effort was blocked by the Leeds keeper on the penalty spot.

Sam Byram's crude 37th minute challenge on Pratley might have merited more than his eventual yellow card, but Leeds' luck was out again just before the break.

Poor defending allowed an unmarked Chris Wood a great opportunity from 10 yards only for Ben Amos to produce his only save of note in the opening period.

Stephen Dobbie replaced Mark Davies at half-time for Wanderers while Luke Murphy made way for Alex Mowatt as the visitors, backed by 4,419 fans in a crowd of 18,178, looked to get back on level terms.

Leeds' 31-year-old Italian striker Mirco Antenucci (right) scores a 71st minute penalty for his side

Dobbie was almost played in by Ameobi's 40-metre cross-field pass as Wanderers sought to increase their advantage.

And the precarious nature of that lead was underlined when, after 56 minutes, Adeyemi hit the post for a second time with a left-foot effort. Leeds were now dominating possession and Ameobi, after his long spell out of the game, visibly tiring.

Amos did well to deflect Antenucci's cross away for a corner as the pressure intensified. So, it was against the run of play when Dobbie curled a low shot palmed away by Silvestri.

Then came the tuning point as Prince slipped to allow Antenucci a run on goal. Attempting to recover his error, he brought down the Italian as he broke into the area.

Hooper adjudged Prince last man and sent off the Frenchman before Antenucci converted the spot kick for his fourth goal of the campaign. Leeds had two late penalty shouts for handball turned down to finish with a second successive 1-1 draw to start Evans' reign. 

New Leeds manager Steve Evans (second left) issues instructions to his goalscorer, Antenucci (left)