JOE Jordan recognises a challenge when he sees one and he's under no illusions about the task his City slippers face at Burnden next Tuesday.

"It's going to be tough," the Bristol boss admitted.

"It would have been hard enough if we'd been going up there with a one-goal lead."

For Jordan's sake it's to be hoped the chairman, who has told him his job is on the line if results don't improve, won't be judging him on his progress in the Coca-Cola Cup.

Because, after last night's stalemate at Ashton Gate, you wouldn't bet on City with someone else's money!

Not that Wanderers set the place alight. They failed to score for the first time this season - despite in-form Nathan Blake and John McGinlay coming up against makeshift centre backs. And apart from the odd chance, never really looked like taking the first leg lead that was their ultimate aim.

But they came away with a sense of satisfaction, comfortable in the knowledge that they had steered clear of an upset and knowing full well that they will be bitterly disappointed if they fail to book themselves a place in the third round.

In the end it was a job well done and, if not a formality, the home leg should present few problems.

Colin Todd had the air of a man who is quietly confident when he suggested with a sense of relief: "These ties can be tricky. We've seen that with one or two surprises this week. I didn't want an upset and I certainly didn't want us to get turned over.

"It was important for us to keep a clean sheet, which we did, and it sets it up nicely for the second leg.

"It's disappointing that we didn't get a goal because I thought we deserved at least one in the second half. But overall we can't be disappointed. We've come away unscathed and I'm pleased about that.

"We've been the underdogs in the past and we've seen ties like this from the other side."

A gentle reminder of their own giant-killing exploits of the recent past - including victories at Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal when higher grade opponents thought they'd done the hard part - should be enough to keep Wanderers on their guard when the tie resumes.

Nothing is ever taken for granted but, on the strength of the first 90 minutes, they should have too much class for Jordan's Second Division side, provided they can find their familiar finishing power. Taking account of the gulf in quality between the sides, more was expected of the Division One leaders who have scored 17 goals in seven league games, particularly as they set the pace for so much of the second half.

The game turned into a procession of frustrated attacks, wave after wave of raids that promised so much and delivered so little.

The Bristol back four gave it everything they had but Wanderers' failings were more to do with their own sloppiness than their opponents' achievements in defence.

Nathan Blake went close to maintaining his scoring streak, but he was beaten by the angles. Per Frandsen delivered the pass of the night to give the Welshman a chance to slip past Stuart Naylor but, being pushed wider with every stride, his cross-shot from the right deflected off Rob Edwards and flashed past the face of the empty goal.

The angle was even tighter when Blake gave Alan McLeary the slip. This time Naylor was guarding his goal as the ball struck the outside of his post.

City, struggling in the bottom half of the league, contributed to their own problems with a series of alarming slips on a lush surface that had been given a pre-match drenching.

Greg Goodridge had particular difficulty keeping his feet but he lost the ball in safe areas, unlike Darren Barnard and Louis Carey, whose stumbles presented Michael Johansen and David Lee with gift opportunities. Neither was able to cash in.

Wanderers also had their untidy moments in defence. Keith Branagan was never severely tested, although there were times when he should have been - noteably in the last minute when sub Kevin Nugent missed the target from 20 yards. But the Wanderers keeper, normally as reliable as any in the country, has handled the ball better.

The fumble of the night, though, saw Naylor spill a Steve McAnespie shot after a neatly-worked free kick. Fortunately, for his sake, Shaun Goater managed to beat John McGinlay to the rebound.

McGinlay almost snatched the goal that would have broken even Jordan's spirit but his spectacular late volley from McAnespie's cross flashed an inch the wrong side of Naylor's left hand post.

Jordan was pleased that his centre-backs restricted Wanderers, in the main, to long range shots from the specialists, Frandsen and Thompson, but Chris Fairclough put both McLeary and Edwards in the shade.

When Todd made Gudni Bergsson his captain, he did so in the belief that he would be both inspirational and consistent; as close as possible to being a fixture on the teamsheet. But, Southend apart, Fairclough and Gerry Taggart have been immoveable, setting high standards and maintaining them, while Bergsson is having to bide his time on the subs' bench.

Last night Fairclough hardly put a foot wrong while Taggart and fellow defenders McAnespie and Jimmy Phillips weren't far behind.

Yet this was not a defensive Bolton performance by any means. Todd unashamedly admitted giving his players instructions to stifle City's early enthusiasm and there was no disguising his satisfaction with a second successive clean sheet.

But any suggestion of negative tactics were dispelled - by Jordan.

"Bolton didn't come here to sit back," the home boss observed. "They came here to play and I think the public here admired them for that.

"They gave us a few problems and we gave them a few. I was pleased that we subdued David Lee because he was a bit of danger and our centre-backs handled two very dangerous forwards.

"We've played against a team that has shown why they are top of the league. They were certainly the best team we have played this season - by a long way. And I'm pleased to say that we held firm and defended very well against them.

"My players will have learned from playing against players who not only have cost a lot of money but who have played regularly at a higher level.

"We know it's going to be difficult up there but you don't progress in cup competitions if you can't handle the situation when it gets tough."

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