Bolton vs Everton

The first fifteen minutes were a cagey affair, with both sides struggling to establish any rhythm. Bolton created the first meaningful chance when Ruben Rodrigues let fly from the edge of the box, forcing Everton goalkeeper Mark Travers into a sharp save above his head (The Bolton News).

Everton thought they had broken the deadlock when Thierno Barry turned home Carlos Alcaraz's cross from close range, only for the assistant referee's flag to cut short the celebrations. The offside call was a tight one — replays showed the forward was fractionally ahead of the last defender.

The visitors grew into the half and created the clearest chance of the opening period when Harrison Armstrong drove down the right and cut the ball back to Barry inside the six-yard box. With only Bolton goalkeeper Jack Bonham to beat, the striker fired straight at the keeper (Royal Blue Mersey).

Barry had another opportunity on the stroke of half-time after combining with Armstrong in the box, but Bonham was equal to the task, making a fine save low to his right.

Both sides made wholesale changes. Everton swapped five at the interval, including the introduction of Tom King for Travers and Michael Keane for Branthwaite. Bolton made their first changes on the hour mark as Ben Davies and Kyliane Dong entered the fray.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Sam Dalby's header forced King into a good save above his head, while at the other end Bonham denied Tyrique George's low drive and pushed Merlin Rohl's strike wide.

Everton's best chance after the break came from a set piece. George's free-kick was nodded back across goal by James Tarkowski, but centre-back partner Keane could only glance his header wide from close range. Late substitute Malik Olayiwola forced another smart stop from Bonham with a well-struck shot from outside the box.

Marcus Forss had a late opportunity for Bolton but could only find the side netting as the game petered out to a goalless draw.

The tightest of offside calls against Thierno Barry in the 38th minute. Had the flag stayed down, Everton would have taken a lead into the break that might have altered the second-half dynamic. Instead, the call kept the game level and allowed Bolton to grow in confidence after the interval, with Sam Dalby and Ruben Rodrigues both going close.

Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton) — Making his first pre-season start, the 24-year-old centre-back was assured in possession and assertive in the tackle. He strode forward with purpose, showed composure on the ball and organised the backline during his 45-minute runout. His return to full fitness is a significant boost for David Moyes ahead of the Premier League campaign.

Jack Bonham (Bolton) — The Bolton goalkeeper made several important stops, including a fine low save to deny Barry on the stroke of half-time and a sharp reaction to push away Olayiwola's late drive. His distribution was tidy and he commanded his area well throughout.

Ruben Rodrigues (Bolton) — The Portuguese midfielder was Bolton's most creative outlet, forcing a smart save from Travers in the first half and seeing a deflected effort pushed around the post by King after the break. He linked play effectively and carried the ball forward with purpose.

Player of the Match: Jarrad Branthwaite — A composed, commanding 45-minute display that underlined why he is central to Everton's plans this season.

The 0-0 scoreline tells the story of a pre-season friendly in which fitness took priority over fluency. Everton controlled the final ten minutes of the first half and created the two clearest chances — Barry's offside goal and his close-range miss — but the raft of substitutions (11 for Everton, 10 for Bolton) disrupted any rhythm after the break. Bolton had more of the ball in the second half and created the better chances after the interval, with Dalby's header and Rodrigues' deflected effort the pick of their opportunities.

The single yellow card (C. Forino-Joseph, 66') reflects the largely uncontested nature of the fixture. Both sides prioritised minutes in the legs over aggressive pressing, and the pace rarely rose above a controlled pre-season tempo.

For Everton, this was the second of their pre-season friendlies after a 4-0 victory over Dundee on 18 July (Royal Blue Mersey). David Moyes continued to experiment with a 5-2-3-1 shape that transitions to a 3-4-2-1 in attack, and the return of Branthwaite for 45 minutes was the most significant development. The Blues were without Tyler Dibling (knock), James Garner (groin operation) and Lewis Hackney (still being integrated). Everton's next pre-season fixture is to be confirmed.

For Bolton, this was the third pre-season outing following a win at Oldham Athletic on 21 July (The Bolton News). Steven Schumacher's side matched a Premier League opponent for long stretches, with Rodrigues and Dalby proving lively. New signing Gaizka Larrazabal was not involved, while Marcus Forss remains under observation. Bolton continue their preparations for the upcoming Championship season, with their next friendly to be announced.

A goalless draw that told us more about fitness levels than the scoreline suggests. Everton's first-half shape was encouraging, Branthwaite's return was the headline, and the lack of a cutting edge — Barry's missed chance from six yards aside — is a familiar pre-season concern. Bolton will take heart from matching a top-flight side, even one operating at half-speed. Neither manager will lose sleep over a 0-0 in late July.