Bolton Wanderers held Brentford to a 1-1 draw at the Macron Stadium for their seventh home stalemate of the season to date.
The Trotters were desperate for all three points, which they so nearly claimed after pulling themselves level 25 minutes from time.
Neil Danns equalised with his third attempt of the night, having seen his side fall behind to John Swift's fine curled effort 10 minutes in.
Wanderers remain bottom of the table as a result of the draw, while Brentford close in on the playoffs in what was Lee Carsley's final game in charge of the club.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded at the Macron Stadium with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Championship meeting between Bolton Wanderers and Brentford at the Macron Stadium. New Bees boss Dean Smith will be watching on from the stands this evening, meaning one last chance for Lee Carsley to shine in his temporary role.
The club's academy manager made clear that taking over in the long term was simply not for him, so he will pass the baton over to the highly-rated Dean Smith following the conclusion of tonight's match. It is fair to say that Walsall supporters were not too pleased to see their head coach end his four-year stint at the Bescot, which is always very telling!
TEAM NEWS!
BOLTON WANDERERS XI: Amos; Vela, Dervite, Wheater, Casado; Feeney, Davies, Danns, Pratley; Clayton; Ameobi
BRENTFORD XI: Button; Bidwell, Tarkowski, O'Connell, Yennaris; Woods, Diagouraga, McCormack; Judge, Vibe, Swift
It seems logical to start by checking out the away side on this occasion, due to the new man being in place. It is highly unlikely that Dean Smith had any say in this team selection, so this will largely be Lee Carsley's doing in what is his final game at the helm. They make just the one change, as Jack O'Connell comes in for the suspended Harlee Dean.
Brentford have had to contend with an abundance of injuries so far this season, so they remain without a number of key players. This is still a strong-looking lineup, though, albeit one that has shipped far too many goals this term. Only a handful of teams have conceded more, in fact, so they need to tighten up in that department.
In terms of the home side, Neil Lennon has made a couple of changes to his starting lineup for this final game of matchday 18 in the Championship. Max Clayton and Dorian Dervite are both welcomed back into the fold, while Prince-Desir Gouano and Jay Spearing have both dropped out - the latter not even making the squad.
Lennon said that he would make a late decision over Stephen Dobbie's fitness, and the midfielder's inclusion on the bench suggests that he is still not quite at full fitness. Wellington Silva and Dean Moxey are still out, meanwhile, as is long-term absentee Zach Clough.
BENCH WATCH!
BOLTON WANDERERS SUBS: Rachubka, Gouano, Spearing, Madine, Dobbie, Twardzik, Holding
BRENTFORD SUBS: Bonham, Saunders, Hofmann, Kerschbaumer, Gogia, Barbet, Canos
Jay Spearing drops down to the bench for Bolton Wanderers this evening, with Neil Lennon making two changes from last time out. Visitors Brentford make just the one change, meanwhile, in what will be Lee Carsley's final game in charge.
A little more on Brentford in a bit, but first a little more on the latest bombshell to come out of Bolton. Their financial problems appeared to be clearing up a little with the arrival of Trevor Birch, but it was revealed just a few hours ago that no members of the playing squad have yet to be paid throughout November. That is certainly not ideal when you are sitting at the foot of the table, yet Lennon insists that morale is still high.
Lennon has been restricted in the transfer window, which largely explains Wanderers' position rock bottom of the table. One win in all this term has left Bolton sitting five points adrift of safety now, yet three draws in the last five does perhaps suggest that the Northern Irishman has certainly made his side tougher to beat of late.
DID YOU KNOW? Four of Bolton's 11 goals this season have come in the final 15 minutes of games. That percentage of 36% is the highest of any side in the second tier. If they could just start games as strongly as they finish them, Lennon would perhaps be eyeing up a top-half finish rather than simply battling to keep afloat at the bottom.
Bolton's struggles can largely be put down to their lack of goals, with their last strike from open play coming some 418 minutes ago. Only Huddersfield have picked up fewer points over the past month, which leaves the Trotters in a real difficult position at the bottom. Lennon claimed pre-match that, with half the season still to go, the target of survival is still very much attainable. Wins need to be picked up soon, though, or else that gap will continue to grow.
Picking up points this evening will not be easy, however, against a Brentford side who have well and truly turned their form around since the departure of Marinus Dijkhuizen. Last season's top-six finish felt like a lifetime ago when the Bees found themselves a point from the drop zone in Carsley's first game in charge, but since then the stand-in boss has guided the club back into playoff contention.
Should he pick up a win in his final game at the helm this evening, then Carsley will have taken his side from one point above the drop zone to one point off the playoffs - not bad for your first senior managerial spell. Dean Smith is watching from high up in the stands tonight, before officially taking charge of his players later this week.
Both these teams have made the headlines for differing reasons today, but who can come out on top on the field of play? Kickoff is now just moments away at the Macron Stadium, with new Bees boss Dean Smith in attendance this evening.
KICKOFF! We are underway in the North West. Button was put under pressure with less than a minute on the clock thanks to Tarkowski's weak pass, but the danger was just about averted.
Feeney swings a cross into the back post for Pratley to head back across goal, yet Button was there to collect. Three players in the opposition box for Bolton then, so they are clearly looking to attack right from the off.
Bolton made a lively enough start, but Trotter's poor run down the right - ending with him overhitting the ball under little pressure - and Amos miscuing a clearance has allowed Brentford to get a foothold on things.
A corner into the back-post area is headed into the side-netting by O'Connell. The visiting centre-back should have been hitting the target from that position really, or picking out a teammate back across goal, at least. O'Connell in the side for Dean this evening, incidentally, with the latter missing out for the first time this season due to his suspension.
These two sides have faced off 38 times before, with Brentford just about edging things - 15 wins to their opponents' 14. This is just the third meeting since 1995, though, so not a lot of recent history between them bar those two encounters last term.
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 0-1 BRENTFORD (JOHN SWIFT)
It is a belter from John Swift to open the scoring, coming after a very quiet opening 10 minutes or so. The forward picked the ball up 20 yards from goal, shifting it onto his right foot with one touch and curling the ball beyond Amos with his second.
SAVES! Well this game has finally come to life thanks to that screamer. Ameobi looks to roll back the years with a similar strike to Swift's before him, but Button was equal to the effort to tip it over the bar. Casado then took the shot on from a short corner, which Button this time pushed away in a more comfortable manner.
SAVE! Amos now forced into action up the other end to deny Alan McCormack's close-range stinger. Decent enough stop, but you would always back the keeper to come out on top in that position. A real open feel to the game now, with the Bolton fans getting right behind their team.
Feeney looks to chip the ball over Button, but his attempt lacked the height and the Bees keeper easily collected. This game looks as though it may have a few goals in it!
Still a nice even feel to the game, albeit one that Brentford lead through Swift's well-taken finish from 20 yards out. Bolton have made a decent enough response, coming closest to a leveller when Ameobi forced Button into a fine save.
Things have gone a little flat all of a sudden, which has not helped with the sombre atmosphere. Pratley gets forward down the left before laying off Casado, who sees his cross into the box headed away.
McCormack a little luck to avoid an eighth yellow card of the season with a real rash challenge. Feeney takes on the resulting free kick from 35 yards out, sending in an effort which dips a yard or so over the bar.
YELLOW CARD! Moments after McCormack's challenge went unchallenged, Davies is shown the game's first yellow for a horror challenge on Diagouraga. The midfielder will now miss his side's next match as a result, but that really could have been a straight red card.
John Swift's goal on the 10-minute mark the difference between the two sides with more than a quarter of the game now played.
A free header for Pratley at a Bolton corner is squandered, as the midfielder just gets his connection all wrong when heading into the ground. Bolton not really created much since those quick-fire shots shortly after Brentford's goal.
Brilliant play from Brentford to carve Bolton completely open, with Bidwell getting a low cross in at the end of the move. Amos got a fingertip to the ball - a key intervention because Judge was waiting to tap home at the back post.
SHOT! Bidwell is exposed down his flank, allowing Feeney to cause some danger. His deflected cross went through the six-yard box without anyone getting a touch to it, before Pratley's shot from the resulting corner ended right down Button's throat.
Vibe makes a bad decision at the end of a quick Brentford counter, turning with the ball around 25 yards from goal and firing a shot high and wide over the bar when he had others in support. This Brentford lead is still looking very slender as we approach the final 10 minutes of the first half.
SAVE! How big could this save prove to be?! Vibe gets in between Bolton's centre-back pairing far too easily and is given a clean run through on goal. Amos read the forward's intentions well, though, sticking out a foot to keep the shot out.
Clayton has picked up a nasty injury on the stretch, which has left him hobbling off the field of play. Bolton will be forced into a change, but more worryingly they face the prospect of being without the youngster for quite some time once again.
SAVE! Amos pulls off another decent stop, this time to push over Swift's back-post volley. The goalscorer peeled off at the back post and was allowed to get a shot away unmarked. Bolton's defending has been terrible so far in this first half.
BOLTON WANDERERS SUB! Gary Madine is on for the injured Clayton. A real blow for the youngster, that, which could potentially see him ruled out for some time. Danns has just fired over the bar from a rare Bolton attack.
McCormack makes up some good ground down the middle, but Vibe's return pass is poor and runs straight through for Amos to collect. The Danish striker looked for a back-heeled pass, which it is fair to say more than angered his teammate.
YELLOW CARD! A big call from the referee, as he books Swift for diving under the challenge of Vela. No real complaints from the Brentford goalscorer, so that was a great call from the man in the middle.
HALF TIME: BOLTON WANDERERS 0-1 BRENTFORD
Ameobi wanted a penalty at the end of the half after going to ground under the challenge of Button, yet he was going down before any contact was made on him inside the box. It is Brentford who lead 1-0 at the interval, then, against a Bolton Wanderers side who are in desperate need of a win tonight.
The game may have started off in a fairly slow manner, but we have certainly see plenty of shots on goal since John Swift's opener 10 minutes in. The Chelsea loanee bent an effort beyond the reach of Ben Amos with a fine effort, before Shola Ameobi tested David Button with a curled shot of his own up the other end.
Casado then forced Button into another save towards his near post, looking to catch the visiting keeper out with a shot from the angle which he was more than equal to. That pretty much proved to be it in terms of Wanderers chances to equalise, however, with McCormack and Swift both getting shots in at the other end, before Vibe failed to convert when left one-on-one with Amos.
That half's biggest moment, besides the breakthrough goal, came 24 minutes in when Mark Davies somehow avoided a red card for a real stinker of a challenge on Diagouraga. Swift was also shown a yellow for going to ground too easily in the opposition box, so the opening 45 minutes certainly hasn't lacked drama.
Bolton have already lost Max Clayton to injury, forcing Neil Lennon to bring on Gary Madine from the bench, but the Ulsterman still has a few more tricks up his sleeve no doubt.
BOLTON WANDERERS SUBS: Rachubka, Gouano, Spearing, Dobbie, Twardzik, Holding
BRENTFORD SUBS: Bonham, Saunders, Hofmann, Kerschbaumer, Gogia, Barbet, Canos
Both sets of players are now back out on the field, with the second half of this match just moments away
RESTART! Nearly eight hours have passed before Bolton last scored from open play, so they will need to rectify that if they are to pick up all three points here, you feel. Big half of football ahead at the Macron Stadium!
Davies gets past Yennaris, only for his cross into the box to be headed to Button by O'Connell. Brentford will be happy enough to deal with crosses like that, as Bolton continue to struggle to truly muster any clear-cut chances.
The ball falls nicely for Vela to blast over from the edge of the box. The right-back has never scored a senior goal before, so it comes as no great surprise to see that one fly high and wide.
Swift defends well to clear some Bolton danger. Still yet to see any real action since the restart but the Trotters are edging things at the moment.
Danns is allowed to run at the Brentford box, before again getting the connection on his shot all wrong and blasting high into the stands. A couple of shooting chances for Wanderers in this second half, neither of which they have made the most of.
CLOSE! Not sure if Bidwell has come as close as this to opening his senior account. Judge picks out his teammate on the run at the back post, with the full-back heading the ball back across goal on the bounce. It flashed just an inch or so wide of the target to the relief of Amos.
Things have gone awfully quiet again, which will suit Brentford far more than their opponents of course. We are approaching that time in a game when both managers will perhaps be looking to shake things up a little. Some inspiration is certainly needed in Bolton's case.
A decent break from Brentford ends disappointingly as Vibe, not for the first time this evening, makes the wrong choice when holding onto the ball for too long. Yennaris was crying out for a back-post pass, which never arrived.
YELLOW CARD! Liam Feeney takes one for the team by bringing down Judge. The midfielder sends the free kick into a decent position for Amos to get down and comfortably collect.
YELLOW CARD! Another yellow is dished out, this time to Vela who like his teammate before him cynically ended another Brentford counter.
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 1-1 BRENTFORD (NEIL DANNS)
Bolton's first goal from open play in more than eight hours - and what a moment to get it! Danns has had a couple of poor attempts from range this evening, and in truth this one was not a lot better in terms of the initial connection. The shot from the edge of the box had enough on it to take it beyond Button and into the bottom corner, however, ending Wanderers' barren run in front of goal at long last.
SAVE! Bolton really should be ahead at the Macron Stadium! A minute after levelling up, the ball fell nicely to Ameobi from just five yards out in a central position. His shot was right down the middle and simple enough for Button to keep out with his feet, though, ensuring that it remains all square at 1-1.
BRENTFORD SUB! It's been all Bolton since Danns' goal, so no real surprise to see Lee Carsley make an alteration. Wood makes way in midfield for Canos, offering the Spaniard a chance to impress once more on his loan spell from Liverpool.
OFF THE LINE! We have seen plenty of counter-attacking move thus far, the latest of which ends with Feeney sending a deflected effort wide. Bolton keep up the pressure, with Feeney's shot heading for the far corner if not for Tarkowski's smart header on the line.
Brentford really struggling to deal with crosses into the box now, and for the first time tonight you would back Wanderers to claim all three points. The visitors desperately need to get their foot on the ball again or they risk losing this one against the Championship's bottom side.
BRENTFORD SUB! Konstantin Kerschbaumer comes on in place of John Swift, whose strike opened the scoring for Brentford this evening. Just when the hosts had built up a head of steam, Madine smashed a shocking effort into the upper echelons of the ground.
Still all Bolton pretty much as we enter the final 12 minutes of the game. Wanderers, as you would expect, are not happy to settle for a point - they need all three. Brentford will also see this as two points dropped, particularly after leading for so long, which will hopefully set up a thrilling conclusion.
Oh my word - what is Casado doing?! He plays the ball back to his keeper with Vibe closing in on the ball. Amos simply gets a foot to it to clear, but it cannons back off Canos and back into his grasp. That could have ended much, much worse.
BRENTFORD SUB! Judge has done well tonight, but he has run his course and is replaced by Sam Saunders. Neil Lennon still has a couple of options available to him should they be required.
Bolton appear to have lost that momentum they had built up, perhaps losing their chance to snatch maximum points in the process. Still six minutes to go in the North West, though, meaning plenty of time for a late winner.
Hearts in mouths time at the Macron Stadium, as a cross makes its way to O'Connell via a Tarkowski flick-on, but the centre-back was offside at the back post. A draw is probably just about the right result on the balance of things, yet still both teams go in search of a winner here.
SAVE! Almost a truly outstanding goal from Brentford, who once more find their passing groove to carve Bolton open. A period of one-touch football culminated in McCormack laying the ball off for Vibe, though Amos got another strong hand to the shot to keep it out.
BOLTON SUB! Davis is replaced by Dobbie, who was a fitness doubt heading into this one. Three minutes of time have been added on at the end of this second half.
CHANCE! Yet another big chance for one of these sides to win the match goes begging. Vibe couldn't direct the initial cross into the box towards goal, but the rebound fell nicely for Kerschbaumer who saw his close-range shot deflect behind. Tarkowski now shown yellow for dissent.
Bolton win a highly-disputed corner, which runs loose inside the box. Ameobi looked to latch on to it but Brentford just about clear their lines. A really entertaining conclusion to this match!
FULL TIME: BOLTON WANDERERS 1-1 BRENTFORD
The referee brings the entertaining match to a close, ensuring that it is now seven home draws this season for Bolton. It is not really the result either side would have wanted, in truth, but in the end a point apiece was probably the right outcome.
The Trotters were desperate for all three points, which they so nearly claimed after pulling themselves level 25 minutes from time. Neil Danns equalised with his third attempt of the night, having seen his side fall behind to John Swift's fine curled effort 10 minutes in. Wanderers remain bottom of the table as a result of the draw, while Brentford close in on the playoffs in what was Lee Carsley's final game in charge of the club.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the Macron Stadium, but be sure to join us again tomorrow for a busy night of League Cup action. See you then!
