Bolton vs Crystal Palace match report: Sam Allardyce's side held on his return to the Macron Stadium

Sam Allardyce will have to welcome old friends to Selhurst Park after Premier League Crystal Palace failed to find a way past League One Bolton Wanderers.

Both sides had their chances to prevent an Emirates FA Cup third round replay in the capital but were denied by a combination of the woodwork, fine goalkeeping and brave defending whenever a chance presented itself.

Bolton’s Josh Vela came closest to providing a definitive result but he saw his powerful header from Lawrie Wilson’s cross thunder into the post.

There was a warm welcome from the Bolton fans for Allardyce, who managed the club between 1997 and 2007. Since then Bolton have struggled to hit those particular heights, which included European competition and top-class players on display week-in, week-out.

However, there's a feeling that under Phil Parkinson the Trotters are moving in the right direction and they look likely to contend for an automatic promotion berth in League One.

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Allardyce, too, is in the early stages of a personal comeback with Palace after leaving the England job - a position he so coveted - in controversial circumstances to replace the sacked Alan Pardew.

Palace were boosted by the return to fitness of Loic Remy who was making his first start for the club since joining on loan from Chelsea in August. Remy worked hard to prove his match sharpness and showed his undoubted class before being replaced at half time by Yohan Cabaye.

The French striker's pace and movement caused problems for Bolton's central defensive pair of Mark Beevers and David Wheater on several occasions and he linked up well with Fraizer Campbell and Jordon Mutch without reward.

For Bolton the in form Gary Madine and the pacey Zach Clough provided very different threats to Palace with Madine winning his share of aerial balls and Clough keeping Palace right back Joel Ward on his toes.

Another returning to Lancashire alongside Allardyce was Lee Chung-Yong the former Bolton midfielder. Lee, who made 176 appearances scoring 17 goals for the Trotters, was instrumental in many of Palace's neatest passages of play.

However it was Bolton who created the best chances. James Henry twice forced Julian Speroni into fine saves in the opening 20 minutes, once with a right foot drive and then cutting in on his left foot.

Target man Gary Madine then headed over a left wing cross by Andrew Taylor and repeated the feat two minutes later but this time from Henry's right wing delivery.

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Palace's first attempt on goal came through Remy who shot powerfully after a neat flick from the lively Campbell but Bolton goalkeeper Ben Alnwick fisted the ball clear.

Mathieu Flamini should have put Palace in front on the half hour after fine play by both Remy and Campbell set the midfielder up 16 yards out. However, Flamini shot over with just Alnwick to beat.

Remy was proving to be a constant threat and after he'd seen a powerful shot bounce off the outside of the post he was denied eight minutes before half time by a fine save from Alnwick.

The second half began just as the first half with Henry looking the most likely to break the deadlock but he failed to convert at the far post following Jay Spearing’s excellent left wing cross.

Vela thought he’d won the tie for Bolton when he beat Speroni with a header just after the hour from Wilson’s cross but saw the ball hit the post as Bolton pushed forward.

Campbell limped off with 10 minutes remaining which ended Palace’s attacking threat and despite late Bolton pressure the two teams will have to meet again to decide who will progress through to the fourth round.

Allardyce saw positives in his side's performance but left disappointed that they had not settled the tie in 90 minutes. "For a long time this club has not had clean sheet so we got that and we take them back to our place in a couple of weeks and hopefully get through," he said.

"I've seen players for first time today in 90 minutes of football so will give me indication what I need when I speak to the chairman. We're still in the hat and it was a tough old game. They were well organised and gave us a real good game. We stood the test without creating that much.

"I want us to get better, and can't say I was satisfied with what I saw."

Bolton Wanderers: Alnwick, Wilson, Beevers, Wheater, A Taylor, Henry (C Taylor 86), Spearing, Thorpe, Clough (Clayton 79), Vela, Madine (Procter 79).

Subs not used: Turner, Moxey, Osede, Trotter.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Ward, Kelly, Delaney, Fryers, Mutch, Flamini, Chung-Yong, Ledley (Townsend 65), Remy (Cabaye 46), Campbell (Kaikai 79).

Subs not used: Perntreou, Tomkins, Husin, Wan-Bissaka.

Referee: Roger East

Attendance: 11,683