Bolton have become only the second team in 2026 to do this to Southampton

Southampton vs Bolton Wanderers hasn't been a regular league fixture over recent years.

Before Saturday's showdown in the Championship, the last time the two teams had met each other in a league contest was back in 2005 in the Premier League, as the Trotters and the Saints played out a 1-1 draw.

This certainly wasn't yesterday, as Kevin Phillips was on the scoresheet.

Unfortunately, the Saints' modern day answer to Phillips in Cyle Larin - another goal machine - failed to turn up, as he would come off late into the first half due to injury.

The final result would finish as an underwhelming 0-0, making the first league meeting between the two teams in 21 years somewhat of an anticlimax, as Lewis Dobbin couldn't find the back of the net, either, as the seven goal marksman's replacement.

As a result of the final scoreline being 0-0, Bolton have become only the second team this calendar year to do this to Tonda Eckert's men at St. Mary's.

Bolton are only the second team in 2026 to do this

As per Trotters based journalist Marc Iles, Bolton are now in an exclusive group of just two teams who have managed to stop Southampton scoring on their own patch in 2026.

The other strong team who have managed to pull off such a feat is Millwall, all the way back on New's Year Day, as a competitive 0-0 draw was played out at St. Mary's.

This time around, Steven Schumacher's visitors did ride their luck a little, as Southampton spurned chances they'd usually score with their eyes closed, alongside a penalty appeal somehow not going in their favour.

But, the Trotters should be commended for managing to shut out the likes of Leo Scienza and Finn Azaz, with Gavin Bazunu no doubt pleased with his day's hard work at the full-time whistle, having played his part in frustrating his ex-employers in between the sticks.

Hopefully, this doesn't become a recurring problem for Southampton, and the goals dry up, as they have some tough second-tier fixtures coming up, before October is done with.

Tough games to end October for the Saints

Up next, Eckert and Co. will be travelling to West Ham United, who have been scoring goals for fun this season in the Championship, away from the Saints firing blanks against Bolton.

The Hammers have scored a ridiculous 30 times already this campaign, so if Southampton aren't careful, they could be one or two goals down in a blink of an eye, courtesy of some more spellbinding magic from the likes of Jarrod Bowen.

If Larin isn't fit, it will be intriguing to see who Eckert selects to lead the line at the London Stadium, with Divin Mubama desperate to get one over on his former team, if he is chosen, ahead of a wasteful Lewis Dobbin.

Then, it's Queens Park Rangers back on the South Coast to end October, with the R's a well-drilled unit defensively, for the most part, this season.

They did just give up three goals with no reply to Birmingham City, but Pierce Charles - the brother of Shea Charles - has only conceded 12 strikes all season long, away from leaking three in one disastrous match at St. Andrew's.

QPR would love to be the third team this year to make Southampton curse their home luck in front of goal.

The Saints are firmly in the playoff mix at the moment, and to show to the rest of the division that they belong inside the expanded top eight picture, they will be looking to hammer QPR on Halloween, away from falling victim to another goalless afternoon, to firm up St. Mary's as a fortress that should be feared.

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