Post Match Reaction: Bolton

Last updated : 04 August 2005 By Rick Skelton
Photo © The Magic Rat
Match action (Photo © The Magic Rat)
Quite tasty at times today, but dampened by the pi**ing rain and the poor opposition. Bolton included Stelios, Pederson, N'Gotty, Hunt, Vaz Te & Gardner, but the rest of the first team were missing. Their replacements were terrible, bar the goalkeeper, Hewlett or Howard or something who was superb.

First: Bo; Lynch Coles DD Daws; France Green Andrews Ellison; Barmby; Fagan.

We had 3 good chances in the first 5 mins, Fagan and Barmby couln't convert a scramble, Coles headed against a defender and keeper saved a good Ellison header. We had 2 blatant penalties turned down for handball, one early in the half when Gardner 'chested' down with his arm, and a second late on when Pederson almost caught the ball. Referee Phil Tos, er, Prosser was pathetic. Tub of lard. They had a half chance hit at Bo by O'Brien, and we continued to dominate, Fagan shot twice at the keeper and snatched at a half chance. Andrews was superb in midfield, Lynch played well and Coles and Delaney were solid. Bolton were as you hear, boring, dirty, long ball merchants. I hope they go down. Just before HT, Lynch played a soft back-pass on the soaking pitch, but no. 10 thrashed it wide when he had an age to finish into an empty net.

Photo © The Magic Rat
Stuart Elliott's penalty (Photo © The Magic Rat)
Second: The Duke; Wiseman Coles Leon Edgy; Price Ash Woodhouse Elliott; Big Ben McPhee.

Quiet second half, broken up by a lot of Bolton changes. They had one header over from a corner, that was it. McPhee made a great chance for Burgess, who's header looked in. Hunt brought down Elliott in the box, although there didn't seem to be much contact, ahem. Keeper superbly saved Elliott's powerful spot kick. Woodhouse was very, very good, his set peices were sweet too, and Coles headed wide or over about 5 times. Wiseman had a great half. Last minute, Wiseman finds McPhee on the corner of the box, picks up the neat return, plays into Woodhouse, he flicks it, Ben steps over and Elliott races in to bury it from 8 yards. Lovely.

Photo © The Magic Rat
Elliott finishes past Chris Howarth (Photo © The Magic Rat)
Next week's team is no clearer despite this game. Goalkeeper will be Boaz, I'm sure. Lynch is favourite for right back but Wiseman is pushing him. Left back is very close, I favour Edge, but Daws supported well today. Centre back could be any combo of Cort, DD & Coles, with PT talking up Joseph too. Right midfield will be Green or France, it'll take an outbreak of the plague for the abysmal Price to get in the side. Left midfield is obvious. Centre midfield and attack are interesting. Most of the pre-season games when everyone was fit have featured Ash-Woodhouse and Green-Andrews combo's, with Barmby-Fagan and Burgess-McPhee combo's. I can't imagine PT would chuck, say Barmby and McPhee together next week having played Barmby & Fagan all week. I like McPhee and Andrews, but I don't see them starting, Barmby and Fagan have been playing together, as have Ash and Woodhouse, I think he might go with them.

Still, more questions than answers with only 1 week to go!!