Scunthorpe 1-0 Bolton

Crap result. Crap manager who is utterly clueless.

Sack him in the Summer and bring in someone who picks a system to suit the players and not the other way around.

Report: Scunthorpe United 1-0 Bolton

IN BRIEF

A first-half goal from David Mirfin proved to be enough for Scunthorpe United to inflict a rare defeat on Bolton Wanderers at Glanford Park.

Despite winning their last five games on the road, Wanderers couldn’t respond to the early goal despite creating a raft of chances late in the second-half.

A point would have been a fair reflection of their toils but with Fleetwood Town also losing on the road to Oldham, it means Phil Parkinson’s men are still seven points clear of third spot with four games to go until the end of the campaign.

TEAM NEWS

Phil Parkinson made just one enforced change from the midweek victory against Southend United with Conor Wilkinson coming in for the injured Gary Madine as Wanderers went in pursuit of a sixth successive win on their travels.

FIRST HALF

Wanderers survived an early handball shout after seven minutes when Iron captain Stephen Dawson protested that he shot came off the hands of Dean Moxey. Referee David Webb wasn’t interested though.

The hosts started off the brighter of the two, enjoying plenty of possession but without causing many concerns.

A foul from captain Darren Pratley gifted the hosts a free kick from 25-yards out which Josh Morris found the head of David Mirfin who nodded past Mark Howard on 12 minutes.

The visitors had Dorian Dervite to thank after his clearing header prevented Paddy Madden from heading past Howard from close range as Scunthorpe pressed for a second.

Wanderers just couldn’t settle and were struggling to keep hold of the ball.

However, with their first serious attack in the Scunthorpe box they earned a corner as a probing Morais cross resulted in a corner, which came to nothing.

Wanderers slowly got their way back into the game and won two successive corners, the latter of which fell to Moxey who pinged the ball from distance which wasn’t too far off target.

Wilkinson spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise five minutes before the interval when he blasted wide from eight yards after some enterprising work by Le Fondre on the wing.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made by Wanderers during the half-time break, though Neal Bishop came on for Matt Crooks for the hosts.

The substitute should have done better with his first touch of the game when he latched on to Toney’s flick on but his shot lacked the power to trouble Howard who comfortably saved.

The hosts had started the half the same as they had the first and should have been two up with Bishop’s deflected effort coming off the foot of Howard’s right hand post before being cleared for a corner. It was another let off for Wanderers who were struggling to stymie the Scunthorpe resurgence.

Wilkinson’s low drive from distance skewed wide after some neat build up play in the middle of the park as the visitors searched for a way back into the contest.

Parkinson made a double attacking substitution just after the hour mark with Clayton and Henry coming on for Wilkinson and Pratley.

And Henry almost got the equaliser within seconds of coming on. Anyon made a spectacular save to push the sub’s left footed drive over the bar.

Wanderers thought they had got that elusive equaliser when Morais’ free-kick was met by a firm header from Le Fondre, but somehow Anyon kept it out at the expense of a corner.

At the other end, Howard made a diving save to his right hand side to keep out Morris as Scunthorpe broke away at pace.

The visitors were camped in the Scunthorpe half and were launch wave after wave of attacks but were constantly being rebuffed.

But it wasn’t to be and Wanderers succumbed to a rare defeat, but didn’t lose any ground in their promotion quest courtesy of Fleetwood losing to Oldham.

FULL TIME

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Calm down son. You won't last 50+ years like me. 

okocha wrote:Have to agree with Nat:- the times I've seen Wilkinson, he has looked way out of his depth. Nothing to commend him at all....

I also agree with Nat too. It's just that he's a big lump which is apparently a necessary component of every Parky team.

We still have the advantage obviously but Parky will make this closer than it should be. Long left on the bench when we are a goal down. And I still question playing three center backs......most teams get by with two. If we fook up the next one then it's game on again.

wanderlust wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:Love it. Spends all week bigging up Max Clayton and then picks Wilkinson instead.

I have no idea why Parky keeps putting faith in Wilkinson, the lad simply isn't good enough as he's proven time and time again.

We'll get dicked.

He's built everything around having a target man and Wilko is the only one that can do that so it makes sense. But like you I'd prefer it if he tried an alternative way of playing so there are options if one way isn't working.

Wilkinson would look out of his depth in the Maltese third division if that even exists, it's just unforgivable of Parky to continue showing faith in him.

Has he even had one touch yet that wasn't a misplaced pass or a scuffed shot? I definitely don't recall any decent work by him in the air.

Awful footballer.

I've only seen Wilkinson play once (Rotherham away a couple of years ago) and he was embarrassingly terrible.

No pace, shite first touch, complete lack of presence and crap in the air (which, for a tall lad, is unforgivable.)

I slagged him off on here when I got back from the match and suggested he should go and find a job which didn't involve playing football.

That was over two years ago.

And I'm far from an expert in these things but seriously, if I could see it, why can't Parkinson?

Bread2.0 wrote:I've only seen Wilkinson play once (Rotherham away a couple of years ago) and he was embarrassingly terrible.

No pace, shite first touch, complete lack of presence and crap in the air (which, for a tall lad, is unforgivable.)

I slagged him off on here when I got back from the match and suggested he should go and find a job which didn't involve playing football.

That was over two years ago.

And I'm far from an expert in these things but seriously, if I could see it, why can't Parkinson?

I think he can, but his commitment to a target man left him with no other option and I guess Parky is hoping that one day he'll come good - of which there has been no sign.

The solution has to be having an alternative system - ideally more than one - so that he can change things around when the system he is using isn't working, but I don't think Parky can see anything other than what he consistently does.

We're still going up - don't worry. We're not getting caught.