Ricketts saves Bolton's blushes

Blackburn celebrate Dunn's fine first-half strike

Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

Michael Ricketts' 19th goal of the season prevented 10-man Blackburn from recording a famous FA Cup victory at the home of their old rivals.

Ricketts prodded home after 62 minutes, when he followed up Simon Charlton's blocked close-range effort.

Despite losing Gary Flitcroft after only nine minutes, Blackburn richly deserved the half-time lead David Dunn's superb free-kick gave them.

Five minutes before the break, the England under-21 midfielder blasted a right-foot shot over the despairing Jurgen Sommer.

  Key incidents

1 min: Sommer saves from Jansen

3: Flitcroft booked for foul on Farrelly

6: Mahon clears Farrelly shot off goal-line

9: Flitcroft sent off for second yellow card

17: Jansen shots straight at Sommer, who looks injured

30: Duff replaces Berkovic

40: Dunn scores with free-kick

62: Ricketts equalises

74: Summerbee heads over the bar

In mitigation for the American, Sommer will say he was seriously incapacitated by a strained right thigh - an injury that prevented him from taking goal-kicks for most of the game.

A cup tie between Lancashire rivals is never going to be anything less than a full-blooded affair, but Blackburn captain Flitcroft seemed intent on making it a certainty.

The Bolton-born midfielder clattered into Gareth Farrelly after only three minutes to pick up his first yellow card.

He then repeated the trick on nine minutes by fouling Kevin Nolan - leaving the referee with no option but to show Flitcroft a second yellow and a richly deserved red.

I thought it was an excellent Cup tie with a little bit of everything, including a few ferocious tackles

  Bolton manager Sam Allardyce

While Flitcroft's early indiscretions caught the eye, there was also plenty of goalmouth action.

The visitors, in fact, had already seen two good chances go to waste before their captain's exit.

In the first minute, Bolton's stand-in keeper Sommer charged out of his area to clear a downfield pass but was beaten to the ball by Blackburn's Matt Jansen.

Sommer's error was only retrieved by Colin Hendry's goal-line intervention.

Jansen gave Bolton plenty to worry about

The American was soon given a chance to atone for his mistake, when only two minutes later Jansen, picked instead of the FA Cup specialist Mark Hughes, burst through the middle and fired a firm shot that Sommer did well to tip over.

And only minutes before Flitcroft's departure, Farrelly saw his deflected shot cleared from under the crossbar by Blackburn's Alan Mahon.

But the loss of their captain did not appear to hamper the visitors too greatly.

Garry Flitcroft is a competitive and honest player, but he was a bit late twice and paid the price

  Blackburn manager Graeme Souness

In fact, it was the home side that suffered the greater handicap when Sommer, their only available goalkeeper, strained his right thigh.

So while Bolton enjoyed more of the ball, Blackburn looked the more dangerous.

This state of affairs was confirmed when Blackburn boss Graeme Souness changed his formation to 3-4-2, and switched the ineffective Eyal Berkovic for the more purposeful Damien Duff.

The Irishman's introduction soon brought further shooting chances for Jansen, and it was Duff who drew the foul that gave Dunn a chance to show his freekick credentials.

But the visitors, despite bringing on experienced performers Hughes and Craig Hignett, were unable to maintain their first-half rythm, and Bolton did just enough to earn a replay at Ewood Park.

Bolton: Sommer, Hendry, Charlton, O'Kane, Bergsson, Summerbee, Gardner (Wheatcroft, 83 mins), Farrelly (Frandsen, 77 mins), Passi, Nolan, Ricketts (Hansen, 69 mins). Subs: Elliott, Barness.

Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, Short, Berg (Duff, 30 mins), Taylor, Berkovic, Flitcroft, Dunn, Mahon, Bent (Hughes, 67 mins), Jansen (Craig Hignett, 67 mins). Subs: Filan, Keller.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City)