Bolton 2-0 Salford

Match highlights -

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Gilks was solid but TBF he didn't have much to deal with bar one shot thanks to a much improved performance from the midfield. He is nowhere near as athletic as Crellin but what he did was to shout a lot and tell the back 3 what they should be doing anyway - as any coach should do. But the difference was the midfield not Gilks.
Defensively and going forward they were competitive and it showed. And having a dangerous striker on the pitch changed the opposition's  mentality.
Great result. What we do next will be interesting and I hope that when Crellin returns I hope the fans understand why. The key thing is to keep the midfield working as a unit. And TBF Kioso was brilliant. All these players on loan is a worry as we start to put a competitive team together because we need something to build on.

Thought the subs made a difference when they came on too, I was worried when Doyle came off as he runs at and presses the opposition - Miller and Isgrove both gave us fresh impetus when they came on though, and at least White’s sideways passes are useful when we need to keep hold of the ball and see the game out.

wanderlust wrote:Gilks was solid but TBF he didn't have much to deal with bar one shot thanks to a much improved performance from the midfield. He is nowhere near as athletic as Crellin but what he did was to shout a lot and tell the back 3 what they should be doing anyway - as any coach should do. But the difference was the midfield not Gilks.
Defensively and going forward they were competitive and it showed. And having a dangerous striker on the pitch changed the opposition's  mentality.
Great result. What we do next will be interesting and I hope that when Crellin returns I hope the fans understand why. The key thing is to keep the midfield working as a unit. And TBF Kioso was brilliant. All these players on loan is a worry as we start to put a competitive team together because we need something to build on.

Eh???

We only have three loan players and we've just dropped one of them for being crap!

White is basically seeing out his Blackburn contract whilst here which only leaves Kioso - I hardly thing the walls will come tumbling down if he leaves us at the end of the season.

And fwiw as a defender you need to have confidence in your keeper, if you don't it means you overcompensate your position on the field to cover for his inevitable cock ups.

If you trust your keeper you can play your game and maybe push a bit further up to help the midfield.

I would say Gilks probably had much more of an indirect influence further up the pitch than you credit him for.

I can honestly say that after playing in defence for over 20 years I never trusted my keeper. He was always either the best mate of the captain or the fat bloke at work who was happy to make up the numbers. Keepers? Bloody rubbish!

Report: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Salford City

Bolton Wanderers made it a Friday night to remember, comfortably beating neighbours Salford City in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Goals from Eoin Doyle and an own goal by Jordan Turnbull gave Ian Evatt’s men a memorable three points.
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​​The Wanderers Head Coach made four changes from the side that lost to Crewe Alexandra in the Emirates FA Cup last weekend.
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​​Goalkeeper coach Matt Gilks came in between the sticks to replace Billy Crellin, who was named among the substitutes, while Andrew Tutte returned to the starting XI.
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​​Eoin Doyle and Gethin Jones returned from a spell on the sidelines as the Wanderers Head Coach named a strong side for the club’s first ever meeting with Salford City.
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​​Wanderers carved open an opportunity for themselves inside five minutes when Peter Kioso launched a ball into the box towards Doyle. The Irishman’s touch was slightly too heavy which allowed City stopper Vaclav Hladky the chance to clear the danger.
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​​Ash Hunter tried to liven things up for the visitors but his 25 yard wayward effort flew high over Gilks’ bar.
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​​Some excellent build up play through the middle by Wanderers saw Gethin Jones cut in from the far side but his left-footer was comfortably gathered by Hladky.
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​​Wanderers took the lead in the 23rd minute thanks to a calm and reassured finish by Doyle, but the chance was created by captain Antoni Sarcevic whose determination saw him win possession before supplying a sliderule pass to pick out the fit-again striker.
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​​At the other end Matt Gilks made an acrobatic save to tip away Brandon Thomas-Asante’s pile-driver which was destined for the top left hand corner.
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​​Ali Crawford’s effort from distance took a delfection off a City defender which took the sting out of it and enabled Hladky to catch the ball, but Wanderers were looking bright and on the front foot.
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​​As the game reached the half-hour mark, Wanderers were clearly on top and Sarcevic was unfortunate to see his volley, after connecting with Peter Kioso’s throw-in, go narrowly wide of goal.
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​​Ian Henderson tried his luck from distance but after pivoting just outside the box, his shot flew high and wide over the bar.
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​​The visitors made a double subsitution during the break with Bruno Andrade and Luke Burgess coming on for Thomas-Asante and George Boyd.
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​​Within moments the sub Andrade flashed across goal as the Wanderers defence were caught cold following the restart.
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​​The visitors were building up to attack Wanderers and Kioso got in a vital block to deny former Wanderers skipper Jason Lowe who was teed up by Di'Shon Bernard just out the box.
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​​On the hour mark, Sarcevic volleyed wide with the outside of his right boot after being played in by Alex Baptiste.
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​​Wanderers found themselves two-up in the 68th minute when Jordan Turnbull's misjudgement allowed the ball to pass his own keeper via his boot whilst under pressure from Doyle for an own goal.
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​​Gilks made a vital block with his legs to keep out Hunter after the lively Andrade carved open the opportunity, with Salford looking to find a way back into the game.
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​​Wanderers spurned a glorious chance to grab a third shortly afterwards when Sarcevic was played in superbly by Doyle, but the midfielder over hit his chipped shot with the goal at his mercy.
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​​A domineering performance was brought to an end with the referee’s whistle with Wanderers excellent value for their three points.
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​​Bolton Wanderers: Gilks, Jones, Santos, Delaney, Delfouneso (Isgrove 79), Doyle (Miller 73), Sarcevic, Crawford (White 83), Tutte, Baptiste, Kioso.
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​​Subs Not Used: Crellin, Gordon, Hickman, Darcy.

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​​Salford City: Hladky, Touray, Lowe, Clarke, Hunter, (Dieseruvwe 78) Bernard, Boyd (Andrade 46), Turnbull, Threlkeld, Thomas-Asante (Burgess 46), Henderson.
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​​Subs Not Used: Evans, Eastham, Armstrong, Smith

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Unarguably (what a visually entertaining word!) it was a better performance with skill and movement even though there were obvious flaws and room for improvement. Makes me more optimistic - unfortunately.

Next chant should be "Ian Evans Skeptical Army!"

terenceanne wrote:
I don't even have an option to click on - just audio only - but I bought a video pass.......typical.

Sorry only just seen this , hope you sorted the problem? for what its worth (future matches) i had the same problem no watch button. 

I usually go through i follow this takes you to the BWFC site, select next match and you have both options (listen or watch) last night just listen appeared, i went to sign in used my ifollow login and the watch button appeared so sorted. i think i had to sign in this time because it was on Sky ? never had to do that before.

wessy wrote:
Sorry only just seen this , hope you sorted the problem? for what its worth (future matches) i had the same problem no watch button. 

I usually go through i follow this takes you to the BWFC site, select next match and you have both options (listen or watch) last night just listen appeared, i went to sign in used my ifollow login and the watch button appeared so sorted. i think i had to sign in this time because it was on Sky ? never had to do that before.

Thanks Wessy I will try that for the next game
I have never signed on to ifollow - usually go straight to BWFC website and take  ifollow from there. Never got it to work this week but saw the game on one of those bogus sites so donated the money this time to the greater cause 

Best all round game so far this season IMO.
We were the much better team in the first half and probably 50/50 in the second. And this is against a supposedly fancied side. 
In my mind if we play like this weekly then we beat most of the teams in this league.

It was a good solid display, but I think the fact we had a steady GK bossing the box helped greatly, my fear is Evatt will be thinking Crellin should have learned from being dropped and reinstate him next week.

MartinBWFC wrote:It was a good solid display, but I think the fact we had a steady GK bossing the box helped greatly, my fear is Evatt will be thinking Crellin should have learned from being dropped and reinstate him next week.

Nobody is that stupid ? surely he listens to the senior pro's and he realises that the fans would think he was one slate short if BC is picked. He might get the jersey in the cup v Newcastle  but no way a league start.