Everton couldn’t add to the four they put past Dundee last weekend, drawing a blank at Bolton in their second pre-season friendly.
None of that will trouble David Moyes. At this stage, it’s about legs and lungs rather than the score, and there was plenty of honest running put in on both sides at the Toughsheet [Community Stadium].
Still, the away end was sold out, and after the trip up from Merseyside, a goal to celebrate would have been nice.
Thierno Barry had the ball in the net midway through the first half, sliding in to finish off a low cross from Merlin Rohl. It was ruled out for offside, and that was the closest the Toffees came.
Rohl was the pick. He got forward well from wide in the first half, then moved into central midfield after the break, where a shot forced a save out of Bolton keeper Jack Bonham.
Mark Travers had little to do beyond tipping one long-range effort over and was withdrawn at half-time. Jake O’Brien started again at right-back rather than in central defence — a big question Moyes still hasn’t answered.
Bolton, back in the Championship after promotion from League One, matched their Premier League visitors for long spells and will take plenty from a clean sheet against top-flight opponents.
Everton are at Stoke City on Tuesday. Their Premier League season opens against Crystal Palace next month.
