Chesterfield keep alive slim survival hopes with fighting draw at Bolton
Chesterfield preserved their slim hopes of survival in Sky Bet League One with a battling goalless draw at automatic promotion hopefuls Bolton.
Gary Caldwell's side were not helped by results elsewhere - they are now 11 points adrift of safety with five games remaining - but showed impressive resolve to hold firm against a late onslaught.
Jon Nolan was sent off for a second bookable offence during stoppage time but despite throwing everything forward, Bolton could not find a winner which would have extended their advantage over third-placed Fleetwood to nine points.
The Trotters seemed to suffer stage fright in the first half, watched by 23,376 fans - their second-largest league gate since dropping out of the Premier League in 2012.
Chesterfield should have taken the lead when Mark Howard spilled Dan Gardner's long-range effort and Kristian Dennis failed to bury the rebound.
Bolton picked up after the break, captain Darren Pratley twice denied the opening goal by some last-ditch defending.
Adam Le Fondre also volleyed just over the bar as the home side went in search of a sixth successive victory.
And after a frantic goalmouth scramble at the end where both Le Fondre and David Wheater had shots blocked, Nolan then left the field early for a foul on Filipe Morais.
Source: PA
