Bolton 0, City 0

STANDING on the touchline in his standard match-day combo of v-neck jumper and white shirt, it was an eerily familiar blast from the past.

So too the warm-up before the game where Nick Allamby drilled his players in that 'hokey-cokey' style; a huddle all running in and out together.

You know the routine because it had been re-enacted down the years at Valley Parade. Everything was as it had been during the Phil Parkinson era. Only this time he was on the other side – and didn't we know it.

Saturday was always going to be a very weird occasion, however much some tried to play it down. You don't get a sell-out allocation of 4,388 away fans travelling to "just another game" in September.

The man himself had kept a lid on it through the week and only broke his media silence at the usual pre-match press briefing on Thursday. But few expected that to be his only say on the matter.

We all wondered how he would greet the City following who used to sing his name during some of the club's greatest days. And how he would be received by those who felt a sense of betrayal at his summer flit over the Pennines.

But there was nothing; no throwaway line in the manager's programme notes, no nod, no wave, not even a fist-shake towards the wall of claret and amber behind the goal.

The applause as he appeared from the tunnel was not reciprocated. A line had been firmly drawn in the sand.

So the City supporters made it plain what they thought. A booming chorus of "Stuart, Stuart" greeted kick-off as the Yorkshire takeover of the Macron began.

Then, 18 minutes into the frantic fare, Parkinson was loudly reminded that he was "not special any more".

That was the signal that City's 'Special One' of recent years was now just another manager plotting their downfall. One era is gone; another begins – nothing more to see here.

On the face of it, a featureless goalless draw hardly produces a thrilling story. But like those prize fights that never match the hype, there are still the sub-plots around the main narrative.

Parkinson-watch was the obvious one and every direct ball was met with a sarcastic shout of "hoof". After years of opposing criticism over City's style of play, the big boot was very much on the other foot on this occasion.

The contrast between the approach of the sides was apparent. City looked to pop the ball around when it wasn't being treated as a live hand grenade, Bolton resorting to the tested route of getting it from A to B as quickly as possible.

As with Millwall earlier in the month, the tale of the tape firmly favoured the home side in physical terms.

Once again Stuart McCall was robbed of James Hanson's services – this time it was the other calf niggling him and is likely to keep him out again for Fleetwood tomorrow.

Tony McMahon, another warrior for such occasions, was also ruled out of contention after pulling his thigh in training.

So McCall, for the third Saturday running, opted for just one change, with Marc McNulty offering a different dynamic up front.

It was a move that didn't really pay off as the Scot struggled to impose on Bolton's fearsome backline, only once wriggling through on the back of a mistake but unable to get his shot off.

That was a recurring theme of City's attacking forays, although they did look better for Jordy Hiwula's arrival for McNulty in the last half hour.

But still there was this feeling of trying to score the perfect goal as promising counter-attacks suddenly hit a brick wall just when it got interesting.

The biggest test for the Bantams, however, was always going to be at the other end and how they coped with the muscle that Parkinson's side would throw at them.

The signs weren't subtle. He had recalled left back Dean Moxey to pepper the penalty area with his long throw-ins. But, again as they had done at the Den, City's backline stood up to it as a man.

Jay Spearing stretched Colin Doyle into a low save within the first 20 seconds – but that was the sum of Bolton's attempts on target.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Romain Vincelot kept a lid on Jamie Proctor, whose every touch was predictably jeered by the City end.

Stephen Darby and James Meredith, two of Parkinson's most loyal lieutenants, shut down the supply lines out wide.

When Bolton did win the header or flick-on, there was always a black shirt on the second ball to see out the danger.

Midfield was a scrummage between artists and artisans; the bite of Spearing against the quick feet of Nicky Law and Josh Cullen.

The West Ham man might as well have gone round with a target on his back as he found himself the focus of some of Bolton's more intense closing down.

One man's heavy treatment is another's play-acting and the two managers agreed to disagree on the strength of attention that Cullen received.

McCall was convinced he would have to stay off at half-time after one particularly aggressive lunge from Spearing, showing why the Bolton skipper has been booked six times so far.

But lion or tiger – McCall could not decide between the animal metaphors – Cullen wanted to continue. That's the spirit epitomising this team right now – and why he was such a favourite of the previous boss here.

City's rag remained firmly tucked away as the tackles flew in. They still looked to play the McCall way and try to pick Bolton apart on the break.

Timothee Dieng, not known for his goal-scoring prowess, popped up a couple of times and Marshall had to pull the trigger when he danced his way parallel with the Bolton goal.

Zach Clough caused City's only real moment of second-half discomfort with an angled shot over, before Marshall was left staring at a yellow card after tumbling from David Wheater's contact inside the Bolton box.

So a fifth draw on the trot but another useful point banked.

McCall said: "No team will come here and roll them over. A lot will wilt under the bombardment of long balls and set-plays.

"We didn't sit back but overall we'll take a point from a very tough venue."

Round two at Valley Parade is not until February – but don't expect it to pass off quietly.