Highlights: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Reading

It was always going to be a tough test for Bolton Wanderers in their first match of the season against Reading, who are almost universally considered to be promotion favorites this season. The Whites started off as well as they possibly could with the first half theirs for the taking.

Darren Pratley opened the scoring for Wanderers following a short corner that saw Marc Tierney cross in well from the left. The ball was played into the far post and with Darren Pratley moving away from goal, much like a fadeaway jumper in basketball, managed to get a cushioned head onto it, placing it at the feet of the goalkeeper. Alex McCarthy, the man in net for Reading, could not get down in time to stop it, and Bolton led. They nearly added a second when Medo Kamara tried a scorching effort from distance that cannoned off the post.

The lead didn't last long into the second half though as a cross from Reading's right hand flank hit the hand of David Wheater, who had jumped in an attempt to head clear of his mark at the far post. The referee awarded the penalty and Nick Blackman stepped up to take. The striker sent Adam Bogdan the wrong way to make it 1-1.