Bolton 1-0 Birmingham

Cajunboy wrote:Amazing result.

10 points and third place.

Can't believe this start to the season.

We are joint 1st Cajun on points.

It sounds that bit better mate!

Norpig wrote:we got battered for most of the game and still won! Ameobi changed the game when he came on and Oztumer looked better in the second half.
What a start to the season 

Ben Alnwick is fab!

Monk just been on telly moaning about the goal being handball and that the ref was terrible 

Sky highlights here:

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Pinch me... After the past few years... losing CYL and Stu Holden, then falling down to the Championship, League One, and almost being put out of existence.  The past year, hanging on in the bottom five, and then the bottom three... and finally pulling out in the last few minutes of the last game of the season.  Believe me, this is much better... 10 of 12 points.... especially winning with a poor performance.  May the points continue to flow!

Two bloody hours to get there on the bus. Only just got in.

Still, 1-0 to the Whites. This is dreamland. Totally agree with Norpig,in that Ameobi made the difference tonight.

Alnwick too made a fantastic save from a deflected shot. All in all, a good night.

Despite the bloody buses.

Norpig wrote:Monk just been on telly moaning about the goal being handball and that the ref was terrible 

I thought he was the best ref we have had all season

The Gods have been with us for sure, but a real positive is that we looked solid at the back again - we're the second best defence in the league (behind Boro) and that will always give us a chance if we can keep it up.

I liked the look of Oztumer. Might have a little gem there.

A very little gem!

Couldn't get to the match as there were no trains and would have been home even later than Boncey if i had gone, so watched on the red button on sky. They had one camera covering the game and no replays but at least i got to see the game.

Report: Bolton Wanderers 1 v 0 Birmingham City

Bolton Wanderers won 1-0 against Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship to remain unbeaten in the league, after Josh Magennis’s goal in the second half secured all three points for Phil Parkinson’s side.

PRE-MATCH

Phil Parkinson made three changes to the side that beat Reading 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium, with Luke Murphy, Josh Vela and Will Buckley being replaced by Gary O’Neil, Erhun Oztumer and Yanic Wildschut.

Bolton came into the game unbeaten in the Sky Bet Championship for the 2018/19 campaign, having won two games on the road and drawing at home to Bristol City.

FIRST HALF

Omar Bogle had the first real chance of the game on 13 minutes, but skipper David Wheater put his body on the line to block any danger.

Soon after, a deflected shot from Blues playmaker Jota saw Ben Alnwick produce a magnificent diving save to keep the scores level.

A Josh Magennis flick-on saw Yanic Wildschut put through for Wanderers first chance of the game on 25minutes, but Birmingham managed to get bodies back and clear the threat.

Jota popped up again with five minutes to go in the first half, after a quiet spell in the game.

The Spaniard ran the length of Wanderers half, beating his man but Alnwick was equal to his tame effort.

SECOND HALF

Birmingham started the second half bright, with Jota looping a ball over the Bolton defence, but Omar Bogle’s resultant shot only found the frame of Bolton’s Alnwick.

Then, it was Bolton’s turn to come close, as an Erhun Oztumer corner kick could not be cleared by the Birmingham backline, as it fell to Jason Lowe.

The tough tackling midfielder struck a powerful effort goalwards but Lee Camp parried the ball to safety.

On 65 minutes, a deflected Gary O’Neil pass found its way to Birmingham’s Maxime Colin, who delivered the ball into the area, where Bogle’s header flew high and wide.

Second half substitute Sammy Ameobi came into the action with 20 minutes to go, with another Magennis knock down finding the Nigerian but his effort flew over the bar by a whisker.

Sammy was at it again shortly after, with a pinpoint cross field ball find its way to Taylor on the left flank.

Taylor fired the ball across the length of the area back to Ameobi, whose floated cross found Josh Magennis to nod Wanderers into the lead!

Will Buckley nearly had a second for the Whites within minutes, with a flash effort from the edge of the area creeping just over Camp’s crossbar.

Ameobi fired another dangerous freekick into the Birmingham penalty area, which was nearly turned home by a Blues player if not for a reflex save by Lee Camp.

The rebound fell to Whites midfielder Jason Lowe, who sliced his effort wide.

Kristian Pedersen went inches away for Birmingham in the final minutes of the game, with a speculative long-range effort forcing Alnwick to make a tremendous diving save low to his right

Birmingham threw all men including their goalkeeper forward for a last-ditch attempt at salvaging a point for Wanderers, but it wasn’t to be as Phil Parkinson’s men secured the three points.

Wanderers XI: Alnwick, Taylor, Lowe, Beevers, Oztumer (Donaldson 83), Noone (Ameobi 61), Olkowski, O’Neil, Magennis, Wildschut (Buckley 61), Wheater (C)

Unused substitutes: Matthews, Little, Vela, Wilson

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We did ok last night. Credit to Parky for trying something different, the line-up was definitely more attacking than usual. I guess when you have points in the bag you can afford to take more risks.

We tried to play football in patches, but clearly don't have many players comfortable with the ball at their feet. Beevers seems to have one setting, lump it to Madine. If we can get Madine to sit in the back of the Sheffield Utd net on Saturday we'll win 10-0.

Defensively we were excellent, the Polish right back looks an absolute steal. But Wheater, Beevers & Taylor all played their part.

Ameobi made the difference when he came on, even Buckley looked a different player.

We would definitely have lost this game last season, and that's called progress. You can't ask for much more.

Beevers and Taylor massive weak links and will cost us dear. I think replace them two and bringing in an ambitious goalscorer is the difference between mid table and play offs. 

We should go for it

Boggersbelief wrote:Beevers and Taylor massive weak links and will cost us dear. I think replace them two and bringing in an ambitious goalscorer is the difference between mid table and play offs. 

We should go for it

They weren't weak links last night in terms of defending.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Boggersbelief wrote:Beevers and Taylor massive weak links and will cost us dear. I think replace them two and bringing in an ambitious goalscorer is the difference between mid table and play offs. 

We should go for it

They weren't weak links last night in terms of defending.

Nope. But they needlessly give away the ball by hoofing it nowhere. They invite pressure and against better sides we will be punished

I agree with you on the whole, but Parky seems to love Beevers. Taylor is the best we have by all accounts - Birmingham fans seem to think Grounds is useless.

Natasha Whittam wrote:We did ok last night. Credit to Parky for trying something different, the line-up was definitely more attacking than usual. I guess when you have points in the bag you can afford to take more risks.

We tried to play football in patches, but clearly don't have many players comfortable with the ball at their feet. Beevers seems to have one setting, lump it to Madine. If we can get Madine to sit in the back of the Sheffield Utd net on Saturday we'll win 10-0.

Defensively we were excellent, the Polish right back looks an absolute steal. But Wheater, Beevers & Taylor all played their part.

Ameobi made the difference when he came on, even Buckley looked a different player.

We would definitely have lost this game last season, and that's called progress. You can't ask for much more.

Saw Madine was at the game last night. Don't think Beevers was trying to pick him out though.

Natasha Whittam wrote:We did ok last night. Credit to Parky for trying something different, the line-up was definitely more attacking than usual. I guess when you have points in the bag you can afford to take more risks.

We tried to play football in patches, but clearly don't have many players comfortable with the ball at their feet. Beevers seems to have one setting, lump it to Madine. If we can get Madine to sit in the back of the Sheffield Utd net on Saturday we'll win 10-0.

Defensively we were excellent, the Polish right back looks an absolute steal. But Wheater, Beevers & Taylor all played their part.

Ameobi made the difference when he came on, even Buckley looked a different player.

We would definitely have lost this game last season, and that's called progress. You can't ask for much more.

It's "we" now is it? Makes a change from "if I were a Bolton fan I'd be furious" etc. That said I agree with the above and reckon that it underlines the need to bring in a few more players if possible as despite Oztumer's inclusion we created nothing to speak of going forward in the first half and the finishing was poor when we did get a few chances in the second. But our defensive foundation has been good apart from the Bristol game and it is so pleasing that we are not likely to ship goals for fun as we did last season. And somehow we've got to 10 points already - it took us until November to get that many last year. Strangely, BET 365 have tightened the odds on us going down from 4 to 1 to 7 to 2 after last night's result.

Nat’s a plastic fan Wander.

She goes with whoever wins on the day between Chorley and Bolton!