MOTM: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Portsmouth

O Captain, my Captain. Chris picks his best performer from the draw against the league leaders

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A titanic clash between two of the best teams in League One needed a titanic performance and there can be no question as to our Man of the Match as Bolton Wanderers took on Portsmouth at the Reebok yesterday. That man is Ricardo Santos.

Memories still lingered, pre-match, back to his performance against Portsmouth earlier in the season where it would be fair to say that the opposition forwards got the better of him.

That was not the case yesterday. He was absolutely imperious. I've never heard of their no9, a lad called Bishop, but he was dominated both physically and emotionally to the point where he was substituted having not a single sniff of goal nor, to my recollection, even entering our penalty area.

As Bishop went off, another young lad came on - his name escapes me - but nothing changed. Santos was the man. Of course the away fans moaned about his physicality, not understanding anything about how defending works. Indeed from watching their centre back pairing this is understandable and so I can forgive their ignorance on that.

To my mind he made just one mistake all game and whilst that did lead to a free kick in a dangerous area, like most Portsmouth half chances it came to nothing.

I do believe there is some merit in giving praise to Baxter as part of this Santos love-in. For me, whilst Coleman wasn't as horrific as some might lead you to believe, the uncertainty that his performances brought gave also transmitted to the defence.

This was the old Santos. Strong, fast and completely and utterly dominant.

I presume someone young has made one of those memes where Santos empties his pockets and various Portsmouth players fall out. Whilst I don't endorse that as they're shit, it would be entirely appropriate. Just this once mind.