The first team duo both completed 90 minutes as they strive to regain full fitness.
Maicon was involved in plenty going forward, getting his first shot on target within 2 minutes of kick off and sending a spectacular shot smacking off the crossbar in the second half.
In defence, Richards mopped up effectively and led by experience at corners at both ends of the field.
This match had promised a close encounter and duly delivered. At kick off both sides were on the same number of points in the Barclays U21 Premier League, and the Trotters had leapfrogged City into fourth by virtue of a superior goal difference of a single strike.
City came into this game on the back of two fixtures against manager Attilio Lombardo’s old side, Crystal Palace. They had been unlucky to go down 4-3 in a thrilling encounter on Good Friday, when the visitors recorded two breakaway goals.
If revenge was the order of the day last time out, it didn’t quite come to fruition – an own goal earned a 1-1 draw in London.
Lombardo made just two changes from the starting XI against Palace, with Ian Lawlor coming in for Angus Gunn and John Guidetti regaining his place up front.
City began brightly with good work down both flanks, but couldn’t quite apply the finishing touch. Marcos Lopes had a shot blocked and Guidetti couldn’t play Richards back in after a charging run downfield from the centre back.
The Young Blues enjoyed the majority of possession but the first real chance fell to Bolton, when the left back ballooned over the bar with the goal gaping.
The home side rallied though, and took the lead ten minutes later. Zach Clough’s shot from long range left Lawlor with no chance as it sailed into the corner.
A brilliant goal finished by Jose Angel Pozo sent City in at the break deservedly level. On the stroke of half time, Lopes found the young Spaniard in the area and he struck a composed finish first time for the equaliser.
The majority of chances in the second period fell City’s way and they will feel aggrieved to have only left with a point.
Guidetti had a shot cleared off the line after Pozo crossed in, and somehow the ball stayed out after a goalmouth scramble involving the Swede just before the hour mark.
From the resulting corner, City did have the ball in the net but the referee had already blown up for a foul.
The team couldn’t manage to find a winner against a dogged defence and had to settle for a second draw in two games.
