Cardiff 0-3 Bolton

I'll be at Chorley watching a proper game that matters, but for everyone else Bolton travel to Cardiff on Easter Monday for an away game that will almost certainly end in another defeat.

No Le Fondre so will it be Eidur and Heskey up front or will Craig Davies get his chance?

Going for a loss for this one!

Cardiff 2-0 Bolton

Ref watch: Keith Stroud man in the middle

Keith Stroud will take charge of Wanderers’ trip to Cardiff City on Easter Monday.

Boasting Premier League experience, the Hampshire-based official has refereed four Whites matches in the past – the most recent being last season’s away defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

So far this season Mr Stroud has officiated 33 matches, handing out 147 yellow cards and five red cards.

Andrew Hendley and Robert Massey-Ellis will run the line, while Brendan Malone is the fourth official.

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I have to say I'm not confident about this at all.

Just another game ticked off the list on the way to a mediocre end to a mediocre season.

Can't wait for it to end.

We have no Dragon this time so... we're going to win. By the odd goal. Clearly the lads were taking it easy against Blackpool because they thought it was a gimme. This is the real thing.

I'm quite concerned at the moment how highly Lennon rates Heskey.

He won't go down as the biggest donkey in BWFC history (not much of a statement) but there's no way he should be higher in the pecking order than Gudjohnsen and CDavies.

I'd like to see Davies start up front with Gudjohnsen.

But the biggest concern at the moment is the back four. Mills is a reckless idiot at the best of times, let alone a few months before he's sure to walk out on a free, and McCarthy doesn't fill me with confidence. It's also disappointing to see Vela look as mediocre as he has done lately, after looking so promising at right back to begin with.

I'm not feeling optimistic about this one. Cardiff seem really unpredictable this season, hopefully we catch them on a shite day.

doffcocker wrote:I'm quite concerned at the moment how highly Lennon rates Heskey.

He won't go down as the biggest donkey in BWFC history (not much of a statement) but there's no way he should be higher in the pecking order than Gudjohnsen and CDavies.

I'd like to see Davies start up front with Gudjohnsen.

A fit and on form Craig Davies is a beast, as shown in a spell of games around the time we stuffed Wigan 3-1 at home. However, he's shown himself to be completely injury prone so I wonder if Lennon's picking Heskey because he doesn't expect Davies to be fit for any length of time next season.

3-1 bolton

i'll be very surprised if we got anything today, but oi, fingers crossed!!!!

we'll lose at least 2-0

Preview: Cardiff City v Bolton

SETTING THE SCENE

Bolton Wanderers travel to Cardiff City on Easter Monday looking improve on their recent away form which has seen win just once on their travels this calendar year.

Unbeaten in their last four matches after Saturday’s draw with Reading, Russell Slade’s side ended a run of seven game without a win at the Cardiff City Stadium in their home outing against Birmingham City.

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Another win for Cardiff would secure their mathematical safety, but Neil Lennon will be keen for his own side to pick up the points as they look to extend the gap between themselves and the drop-zone.  

TEAM NEWS

Adam Le Fondre is unable to play against parent club Cardiff due to the terms of his loan agreement, leaving Craig Davies, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Emile Heskey battling it out for a place in attack after all three came off the bench against Blackpool.

Meanwhile, Mark Davies (knee) is closing in on a first-team return but Monday’s game will come too soon for him, while Darren Pratley (hamstring) is also nearing a return before the end of the campaign.

Max Clayton (knee), Zach Clough (shoulder), Kevin McNaughton (leg), Simeon Slavchev (ankle), Marc Tierney (leg) and David Wheater (hamstring) all remain long-term absentees.

LAST CARDIFF XI (v Reading, D1-1)

Marshall, Peltier (Malone 84), Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Fabio, Noone, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Ralls (Kennedy 65), Doyle (Mason 65), McAleny.

ONE TO WATCH

Cardiff City’s joint-leading goalscorer in the Championship this season following the departure of Kenwyne Jones on loan to Bournemouth last month, Peter Whittingham continues to shine for the Bluebirds since joining from Aston Villa in January 2007.

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The former England Under-21s international was a member of the Cardiff side that reached the 2008 FA Cup Final, while he scored 25 goals during the 2009/10 season as they lost to Blackpool Play-Off Final.

Whittingham would also hit double figures in each of the next two campaigns before helping Cardiff win promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions in 2013, while he has been virtual ever-present for the club so far this season.

LAST TIME WE WERE HERE (Cardiff 1-1 Bolton, 27 April 2013)

Bolton Wanderers held recently-crowned Championship title winners Cardiff City to a draw on their last visit to South Wales.

Receiving Sam Ricketts’ pass, Chris Eagles had fired the Whites in front midway through the first half, while Darren Pratley nearly doubled their advantage but was unable to get the better of David Marshall in the Bluebirds net.

Craig Noone equalised with a curling free-kick in the second, while Marshall came out on top again against Pratley late on as Bolton were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

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doffcocker wrote:I'm quite concerned at the moment how highly Lennon rates Heskey.

He won't go down as the biggest donkey in BWFC history (not much of a statement) but there's no way he should be higher in the pecking order than Gudjohnsen and CDavies.

I'd like to see Davies start up front with Gudjohnsen.

But the biggest concern at the moment is the back four. Mills is a reckless idiot at the best of times, let alone a few months before he's sure to walk out on a free, and McCarthy doesn't fill me with confidence. It's also disappointing to see Vela look as mediocre as he has done lately, after looking so promising at right back to begin with.

I'm not feeling optimistic about this one. Cardiff seem really unpredictable this season, hopefully we catch them on a shite day.

Agree with this Heskey comment..... Another big lumbering center forward that never scores any goals. Wins the nods on and may be a good influence in the dressing room but I can't see why we would keep him on the payroll to be honest.

Today's Team:

BWFC: Bogdan, Mills (c), Ream, Dervite, Heskey, Eidur, Vela, Cavies, Bannan, Janko, Walker

Subs: Lonergan, Moxey, Feeney, Trotter, Danns, Rochina, McCarthy

Didn't see that coming

Report: Cardiff 0-3 Bolton

IN BRIEF

A trio of second half goals saw Bolton blow away their Cardiff City counterparts in the sunshine in South Wales.

After a disjointed opening half, the evergreen pair of Eidur Gudjohnsen and Emile Heskey very much helped Bolton over the line.

Following his goalscoring exploits for Iceland, Gudjohnsen netted his third goal in as many games to open the scoring after the restart.

Craig Davies then netted a sublime brace, with two low rasping drives to ensure Wanderers left the Cardiff City Stadium with maximum points.

TEAM NEWS

Neil Lennon rang the changes for the trip to South Wales. Adam Bogdan, Dorian Dervite, Saidy Janko, Heskey, Gudjohnsen and Davies all returned to an attack-minded Bolton starting XI.

Adam Le Fondre missed out due to the loan agreement between the two clubs, whilst Joe Mason, recently returning from a temporary spell at Macron Stadium, was on the bench for Cardiff.

FIRST HALF

The game began with three quarters of the pitch bathed in glorious sunshine.

Both sides had early sights of goal. Craig Noone sent a low daisycutter through a ruck of players that was comfortably gathered by Bogdan, whilst up the other end Heskey was unable to turn home Davies’ low cross at the near post.

After a pretty tame opening, Cardiff began to up the ante with Noone dictating much of the attacking play when cutting in from the right side.

On one occasion the Cardiff number 11 flashed a shot into Bogdan’s side netting, before then teeing up Peter Whittingham whose low effort whistled narrowly wide.

On 25 minutes, only Barry Bannan’s goal-line clearance following Eoin Doyle’s instinctive effort from a corner kick prevented the hosts from taking the lead.

Bolton then fashioned a similar opportunity, as Dervite’s looping header from Bannan’s corner was nodded away by a defender from underneath the Cardiff crossbar.

Cardiff did have the ball in the net on the half hour, only for Doyle’s touch and finish from inside the six yard box to be disallowed for an offside.

In stoppage time Whittingham curled a free kick up, over the Bolton wall and marginally wide of the post.

HALF TIME

The second half resumed in a similar fashion, before, arguably against the run of play, Bolton broke the deadlock.

It came just before the hour mark, when Heskey puffed out a chest with his back to goal to tee up Gudjohnsen. The Icelander took a clever touch on the edge of the area, before crashing a volley into the top corner.

And four minutes late it would get even better for Wanderers.

Heskey was once again heavily involved, holding the ball up well to release Davies. He then scampered forward fully 40 yards down the left, before momentarily halting his run and driving a low shot across the face of goal and into David Marshall’s far corner.

From that moment forward Bolton seemed more relaxed in possession, as the game very much developed an end of season feel.

Noone did fizz a low shot wide, as Cardiff attempted to halve the deficit.

But on 73 minutes the game was put to bed.

Bannan flighted a superb ball over the Cardiff backline to release Davies. He then assumed possession on the angle of the area, before checking inside Fabio and once again firing into the bottom corner.

Cardiff showed little sign of life from that moment forward, as Lennon introduced Neil Danns and Liam Feeney to add extra legs to the Bolton midfield.

In the end Bolton would see the game out for an ultimately comfortable three points, their fourth on the road this season.

FULL TIME

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Refreshing change. I expected a win but not a comfortable one.

I don't usually predict a loss but I think I'll do it more often.

Because wigan lost and Rotherham won wigan are now 8 points adrift with 5 to play an others around them have a game in hand.

Good day all round 

Wankers.

scottjames30 wrote:Wankers.

Are you now bust as well in the betting shop comp?