Peterborough United miss a great chance to beat a promotion rival who played with 10 men for 45 minutes

But a 1-1 draw against a team reduced to 10 men for the entire second-half was not so palatable.

Posh had also taken the lead just before the break only to concede a terrible equaliser 90 seconds later so Bolton will doubtless have left the pitch the happier side.

Posh should be frustrated and angry. They hit the same post three times in the second-half, but they were generally far too slow and predictable in possession when boasting a man extra.

Of course it’s not easy when 10 men are camped in and around their own area, but there was no guile and no creativity. It just became an exercise of defending crosses for the home side in a contest that was again ended far too early with referee Ross Joyce appearing to forget the home goalkeeper lay down with a tactical injury for a couple of minutes as well as a one-man pitch invasion during added time when the Bolton stewards moved with the speed and cohesion of a set of training bollards.

Posh made one change to their starting line-up with young forward Ricky-Jade Jones starting ahead of Joel Randall who dropped to the substitutes’ bench. It was a 100th Posh appearance for Jones, although this was only start number 35, and 22 in the League.

Bolton’s media briefings this week were more depressingly negative than an hour of Sky News. The Trotters had many senior players sidelined including former Posh defender Ricardo Santos, but top scorer, and regular thorn in the side of Posh, Dion Charles was included.

It still looked a decent League One side on paper, one that actually only showed two changes from the previous match.

Posh were chasing a first success at Bolton and seeking to end their terrible form in front of big crowds. Sadly it’s now no wins and 19 defeats in their last 22 matches in front of crowds in excess of 15,000, although they did end a run of 10 straight defeats when the crowd has exceeded 20,000 as it did for this game thanks to an excellent promotional campaign.

Posh didn’t look overly-concerned in the opening exchanges. Jones and Kwame Poku revelled in space and the pair combined as Jones headed against the top of the crossbar after just 36 seconds.

It soon turned into a fascinating tactical battle with both teams enjoying good moments.

The hosts threatened from set-pieces with a clever free kick routine ending with George Thomason bringing a flying save from Nicholas Bilokapic and Dion Charles heading wide of an open goal after the Aussie ‘keeper had flapped at a corner.

Posh also threatened at a corner. Clarke-Harris won the initial contact, but Jones couldn’t make meaningful contact from a position right in front of goalkeeper Nathan Baxter. A Clarke-Harris volley from a Kioso cross was saved easily and Kioso was staggered not to be awarded a penalty when going down under an Ironside challenge.

Hector Kyprianou made a hash of a precise Burrows corner before the left-back shot just wide.

And then just when thoughts turned towards a half-time cuppa with the score 0-0, the game exploded into life in a mad final five minutes.

Clarke-Harris headed home from a superb Burrows cross to give Posh the lead, but two minutes later Bolton were in behind Burrows and Bilokapic spilled a harmless cross at the feet of Victor Adeboyejo who couldn’t miss.

Posh were rocked, but in added time Jones was felled by a nasty challenge from home skipper Gethin Jones who was shown a straight red card by referee Ross Joyce. It looked a good decision after a video viewing.

Bolton switched to a flat back four for the second-half, but kept their main goal threats on.

As you’d expect Posh hogged possession against a team now happy to sit very deep.

Clarke-Harris headed a neat Kyprianou cross over as the game settled into a routine of centre after centre into a crowded penalty area.

Burrows’ set-pieces were on point, but Kyprianou headed over twice. Ephron Mason-Clark lashed wildy at a close-range chance from an acute angle and saw the ball fly miles over the crossbar.

Jones headed one deep cross back into the danger area, but Burrows lashed against the post from eight yards. A Kioso cross was then turned against his own post by Kyle Dempsey as the feeling grew this wasn’t going to be Posh’s afternoon.

Substitute Randall did force a save from Baxter, but there was little variety to their attacking play which meant a comfortable afternoon for the goalkeeper.

Bolton offered very little until making a couple of changes and Josh Knight was soon having to clear a right wing cross from under his own crossbar.

Replacement Jon Dadi Bodvarson was a real handful, but Posh stuck to their task solidly at the back.

Remarkably five minutes from time Posh struck the post for a third time. Randall did the groundwork with a swift advance down the left. His cutback to Burrows was a little behind his target, but a swivel and a fierce right foot shot sped the ball goalwards, until the same post interrupted the flight path.

It was terribly irritating, especially as captain Kioso will now be suspended after picking up a fifth caution of the season after one word too many to referee Joyce.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Josh Knight, Peter Kioso, Archie Collins, Hector Kyprianou, Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Joel Randall, 69 mins), Kwame Poku, Ephron Mason-Clark (sub Jacob Wakeling 85 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Fynn Talley, Jadel Katongo, Romoney Crichlow, Ryan De Havilland, Zak Sturge.

Bolton: Nathan Baxter, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Gethin Jones, Will Forrester, Jack Iredale, Randell Williams, George Thomason, Josh Sheehan (sub Aaron Morley, 90 + 1 mins), Kyle Dempsey, Dion Charles (sub Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, 73 mins), Victor Adeboyejo (sub Dan Nlundulu, 64 mins).

Unused subs: Luke Hutchinson, Luke Matheson,Nelson Khumbeni, Cameron Jerome

Goals: Posh – Clarke-Harris (42 mins).

Bolton – Adeboyejo (44 mins).

Sending-off: Bolton – Jones (serious foul play).

Cautions: Posh – Kioso (unsportsmanlike conduct). Collins (foul).

Bolton – Iredale (foul), Dacres-Cogley (foul), Evatt (manager, dissent), Dempsey (foul). Thomason (foul).

Referee: Ross Joyce 6

Attendance: 21,380 (apprx 800 Posh).