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Risky business paid off for Wanderers at Fleetwood, and who is to say it will not for the rest of the season?
A penny for the rest of League One’s thoughts as Phil Parkinson’s team sheet became public knowledge on Saturday afternoon.
A club in transfer embargo, restricted to 23 players according to the Football League’s own statement, managed to negotiate the return of powerful midfielder Darren Pratley to the quota and bring in a potentially game-changing signing in Jem Karacan with just a dozen games to go.
Quite how they managed it, considering the EFL’s rather stern reminder of the rules on Friday night, remains a mystery.
Few celebrating this terrific win this weekend were bothered about the details.
Call it brazen audacity, call it a gamble, call it what you will, but if the Whites end up playing Championship football next season, Ken Anderson won’t care about a few sour grapes from elsewhere.
Wanderers are pulling every trick in the book to get promotion and may be making enemies elsewhere in doing so. Right now you could argue that the ends justify the means.
Four goals at Fleetwood – including two from Adam Le Fondre – was, in the striker’s own words, “a statement”.
This was a team unbeaten in 18 games, sitting second in the table, watched by a sizeable portion of the town’s population.
Press had been given open access to the Cod Army in the build-up to their biggest game of the season, celebrating what has been a glorious campaign so far.
In complete contrast, Wanderers ensured their plans remained a closely-guarded secret.
Aside from a public reprimand for Josh Vela over his Sunday lunchtime incident last Sunday, Parkinson’s pre-match words had been deliberately vague on team matters.
Being able to call on Pratley for the run-in is priceless for a team which had lacked midfield mobility in Jay Spearing’s absence.
The club captain had been due to play against Nottingham Forest in an under-23 game in midweek but after it was postponed he impressed in a training match at Lostock on Thursday, convincing Parkinson to push for his inclusion.
Pratley rewarded that faith with a quite heroic display in the middle of the park, eating up space like he had never been away.
Just as surprising has been the return of French defender Dorian Dervite, once the forgotten man of the squad, now looking right at home as part of a strong back three.
Away days don’t come much better than this for the discerning Wanderers fan.
Something about the coaches circling endlessly up and down the double-parked streets, the snaking queues outside the chippy and the higgledy-piggledy terraced housing that surrounds Highbury transported this fixture back in time way before a ball was kicked.
Of the 1,350 supporters lucky enough to get a ticket for the two sides of the ground allocated, not too many will remember the days when Wanderers used to descend regularly en masse to unfashionable venues like this.
If they are successful in their promotion chase, such atmospheres will be one of the few things missed about life in the third tier.
For an old fashioned occasion, cue a traditional winger, and few fit the bill quite like Filipe Morais. Discarded by Bradford City – most wrote the 31-year-old off as a squad filler when Parkinson brought him to the Macron.
Instead, his infectious workrate on the right, and ability to swing in crosses and set pieces with deadly-eyed accuracy have seen him rise to being the season’s surprise package.
Morais finished the day with three assists, his efforts met with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation from the Bolton fans each time he walked to the touchline to take a throw or corner.
Wanderers fans had every right to think this would be a tight and tense affair, yet from the moment Le Fondre hooked a freakish opening goal from the right wing it proved to be immensely open and enjoyable.
Had it not been for a perfectly-executed challenge by Andy Taylor on David Ball, the Whites might have fallen behind on 17 minutes. Instead, Le Fondre galloped away down the right to hit a cross-shot which bamboozled the Fleetwood keeper and nestled into the net.
Three minutes later, Morais swung in a devilish free kick which dropped perfectly for Wheater to hammer home left-footed at the far post to double the lead.
The big defender had two goals disallowed, which amounted to a theoretical perfect hat-trick.
He will have to console himself with the knowledge he has now scored more goals this season – six – than in his previous six seasons combined.
Kyle Dempsey brought things crashing back down to earth with a deflected effort from the edge of the box a few minutes later.
Fleetwood’s intricate football asked plenty of questions of Wanderers’ back three – all of whom were called upon to make important interventions before half time.
Uwe Rosler had noted the Whites’ prowess at set pieces before the game, and his concern proved entirely justified.
Panic set in each time the ball was whipped into the box by Morais and both Vela and Madine went close to making it three.
Beevers did just that two minutes after the restart – ghosting in to stab home his third goal of the campaign within touching distance of the Bolton faithful.
Le Fondre’s chasing hassled a mistake out of keeper Alex Cairns, Morais dropping a 50-yard lobbed effort just over the bar. But a game-sealing fourth was not so far away.
Again Morais galloped down the right to arrow a cross to the near post, the ball met with perfect timing by Le Fondre’s head.
No debate about whether he meant that one.
Fleetwood continued to press and did get a consolation, Bobby Grant passing the ball home after a rare lapse in concentration at the back for Bolton.
But there was no route back.
Source
A penny for the rest of League One’s thoughts as Phil Parkinson’s team sheet became public knowledge on Saturday afternoon.
A club in transfer embargo, restricted to 23 players according to the Football League’s own statement, managed to negotiate the return of powerful midfielder Darren Pratley to the quota and bring in a potentially game-changing signing in Jem Karacan with just a dozen games to go.
Quite how they managed it, considering the EFL’s rather stern reminder of the rules on Friday night, remains a mystery.
Few celebrating this terrific win this weekend were bothered about the details.
Call it brazen audacity, call it a gamble, call it what you will, but if the Whites end up playing Championship football next season, Ken Anderson won’t care about a few sour grapes from elsewhere.
Wanderers are pulling every trick in the book to get promotion and may be making enemies elsewhere in doing so. Right now you could argue that the ends justify the means.
Four goals at Fleetwood – including two from Adam Le Fondre – was, in the striker’s own words, “a statement”.
This was a team unbeaten in 18 games, sitting second in the table, watched by a sizeable portion of the town’s population.
Press had been given open access to the Cod Army in the build-up to their biggest game of the season, celebrating what has been a glorious campaign so far.
In complete contrast, Wanderers ensured their plans remained a closely-guarded secret.
Aside from a public reprimand for Josh Vela over his Sunday lunchtime incident last Sunday, Parkinson’s pre-match words had been deliberately vague on team matters.
Being able to call on Pratley for the run-in is priceless for a team which had lacked midfield mobility in Jay Spearing’s absence.
The club captain had been due to play against Nottingham Forest in an under-23 game in midweek but after it was postponed he impressed in a training match at Lostock on Thursday, convincing Parkinson to push for his inclusion.
Pratley rewarded that faith with a quite heroic display in the middle of the park, eating up space like he had never been away.
Just as surprising has been the return of French defender Dorian Dervite, once the forgotten man of the squad, now looking right at home as part of a strong back three.
Away days don’t come much better than this for the discerning Wanderers fan.
Something about the coaches circling endlessly up and down the double-parked streets, the snaking queues outside the chippy and the higgledy-piggledy terraced housing that surrounds Highbury transported this fixture back in time way before a ball was kicked.
Of the 1,350 supporters lucky enough to get a ticket for the two sides of the ground allocated, not too many will remember the days when Wanderers used to descend regularly en masse to unfashionable venues like this.
If they are successful in their promotion chase, such atmospheres will be one of the few things missed about life in the third tier.
For an old fashioned occasion, cue a traditional winger, and few fit the bill quite like Filipe Morais. Discarded by Bradford City – most wrote the 31-year-old off as a squad filler when Parkinson brought him to the Macron.
Instead, his infectious workrate on the right, and ability to swing in crosses and set pieces with deadly-eyed accuracy have seen him rise to being the season’s surprise package.
Morais finished the day with three assists, his efforts met with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation from the Bolton fans each time he walked to the touchline to take a throw or corner.
Wanderers fans had every right to think this would be a tight and tense affair, yet from the moment Le Fondre hooked a freakish opening goal from the right wing it proved to be immensely open and enjoyable.
Had it not been for a perfectly-executed challenge by Andy Taylor on David Ball, the Whites might have fallen behind on 17 minutes. Instead, Le Fondre galloped away down the right to hit a cross-shot which bamboozled the Fleetwood keeper and nestled into the net.
Three minutes later, Morais swung in a devilish free kick which dropped perfectly for Wheater to hammer home left-footed at the far post to double the lead.
The big defender had two goals disallowed, which amounted to a theoretical perfect hat-trick.
He will have to console himself with the knowledge he has now scored more goals this season – six – than in his previous six seasons combined.
Kyle Dempsey brought things crashing back down to earth with a deflected effort from the edge of the box a few minutes later.
Fleetwood’s intricate football asked plenty of questions of Wanderers’ back three – all of whom were called upon to make important interventions before half time.
Uwe Rosler had noted the Whites’ prowess at set pieces before the game, and his concern proved entirely justified.
Panic set in each time the ball was whipped into the box by Morais and both Vela and Madine went close to making it three.
Beevers did just that two minutes after the restart – ghosting in to stab home his third goal of the campaign within touching distance of the Bolton faithful.
Le Fondre’s chasing hassled a mistake out of keeper Alex Cairns, Morais dropping a 50-yard lobbed effort just over the bar. But a game-sealing fourth was not so far away.
Again Morais galloped down the right to arrow a cross to the near post, the ball met with perfect timing by Le Fondre’s head.
No debate about whether he meant that one.
Fleetwood continued to press and did get a consolation, Bobby Grant passing the ball home after a rare lapse in concentration at the back for Bolton.
But there was no route back.
Source