Bolton 0-1 Crawley

Wanderers return to Sky Bet League Two action this afternoon with a first ever league fixture against Crawley Town. Ian Evatt’s men prepare for their first outing in seven days following the postponement of the midweek fixture against Morecambe.

Pre-Match Quotes:

Ian Evatt: ‘It’ll be a difficult game no doubt, and they’re on the back of a very good win at Forest Green on Tuesday. In terms of the way they play, they change a lot. The formation they use changes and that depends on who they come up against – they adapt their tactics, so we don’t really know what to expect.

‘The most important thing for us it to concentrate on ourselves and be better at what we do. Certainly that means that defensively we need to be stronger and then continue to score goals like we have been doing in recent weeks.’

John Yems: ‘Every game we play is a tough game. They’re all tough trips but let’s hope that teams don’t want to play us – that’s the other side of it. There’s no easy games but that’s the way you want it. If they were easy then you wouldn’t be enjoying it so much.’


How to watch:

Wanderers supporters can watch the clash with Crawley Town by purchasing an iFollow BWFC video match pass for just £10 you don’t have to miss a kick.

An iFollow BWFC video match pass will ensure supporters do not miss a minute of the action, with the entire match streamed through any compatible laptop, computer, tablet or mobile device in the United Kingdom.


Team News:

Wanderers will be without defender Peter Kioso who serves a one-match suspension following his sending off for two bookable offences at Carlisle United on Boxing Day.

Aside from the obvious casualties in Dennis Politic, Liam Edwards, Arthur Gnahoua and Shaun Miller, Ian Evatt should have more or less a fully fit and available squad to select from this weekend.

In the Crawley camp, Tarryn Allarakhia will serve the second match of a three match suspension after he was sent off in a 1-1 draw against Newport County on Boxing Day. Jake Hesketh was replaced early in that Boxing Day clash with Newport and missed Tuesday’s win at Forest Green. He could miss Saturday’s match.


Bookies Odds:

Bolton Wanderers win: 29/20

Draw: 12/5

Crawley Town win: 13/8

Correct as of 01/01/2021 (5.30pm) on skybet.com


Form:

Wanderers hope to hit a similar level of form in January that they managed to hit during the month of November. December wasn’t quite so consistent for Ian Evatt’s men who began the final month of 2020 with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Port Vale and Walsall.

A late win at Cheltenham Town saw Wanderers bounce back somewhat and after a home defeat to Tranmere Rovers in the final match before Christmas, the team came from behind to earn a 3-3 draw at Carlisle United on Boxing Day.

Crawley make a first trip to the University of Bolton Stadium on the back of a run that has seen them go unbeaten since a 2-1 home defeat to Grimsby Town in late November. December saw the Red Devils earn victories against Barrow, Leyton Orient and Forest Green Rovers, with draws against Colchester United, Mansfield Town, Bradford City and Newport County.



Last time out:

The two teams have never met in a league fixture but have met once before in a League Cup tie back in August 2012 in West Sussex.

It proved to be a night to forget for Owen Coyle’s men early on in their first season back in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League.

Benik Afobe’s goal saw Wanderers a goal to the good at half-time but Town came back strongly in the second half and late goals from Billy Clarke and Nicky Ajose saw the League One side through to the third round of the competition.


Match Officials:

Referee: Samuel Barrott.

Assistant Referees: Richard Wigglesworth and David Avent.

Fourth Official: Sebastian Stockbridge.

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BBC reckons we have Brockbank, Santos and Greenidge at the back.
Isgrove to start.

looks like a back 3 with Greenidge and Brockbank replacing Baptiste and Delaney. Isgrove as wing back though?

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It's getting on my tits now.
You'll have to look elsewhere for an in depth analysis.

this is bugger why do we only play good football when we are losing

Big window for Evatt, get it wrong and it'll be hard to keep backing him, it's clear to see where we are lacking, if he addresses that, we still have a chance to get playoffs big ask mind.

Let’s hope we get rid of the dross in this window.  Need some steel in midfield.

Report: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Crawley Town


Bolton Wanderers slipped to a narrow defeat against in-from Crawley Town at the University of Bolton Stadium despite creating more than enough chances to win the game.

Although George Francomb put his side in front after 61 minutes, Wanderers were denied on many occasions by the woodwork, last ditch defending and good goalkeeping.

Manager Ian Evatt made three changes from the side that fought back from three goals down to draw against Carlisle United at Brunton Park on Boxing Day.

Reiss Greenidge, Lloyd Isgrove and Harry Brockbank all returned to the fold at the expense of Ryan Delaney, Alex Baptiste and the suspended Peter Kioso.

Isgrove was unlucky to see a powerful effort blocked by Tom Dallison after Greenidge brought the ball out of defence before Antoni Sarcevic and Eoin Doyle combined brilliantly to tee up the chance.

Nathan Delfouneso’s curling effort with his left peg curled narrowly wide of the target after he had linked up well with George Thomason on the right-hand side.

Sarcevic followed up with a shot of his own from distance but his strike went well wide.

The visitors had their first effort on target just after 18 minutes when Ashley Nadesan forced a routine save out of Matt Gilks.

Wanderers’ cleared their lines after Francomb’s low cross rebounded off the foot of the post when he had managed to round Gilks and get a shot away from a tight angle inside the box.

Crawley were having the better of the game for a period midway through the first half after Wanderers had started well and on the front foot.

Gethin Jones intercepted the ball high up the field shortly afterwards and raced down the left wing to put in a decent ball for Sarcevic but the Wanderers skipper was unable to keep his volley down and the ball went over Glenn Morris’ bar.

Gilks made an instinctive save with his feet at the other end to keep out a snapshot from Jack Powell as Wanderers defended a succession of corners on the half hour mark.

Morris made a crucial stop to keep out a drive from Isgrove at the near post after the Wanderers man was played in by a superb weighted ball from Harry Brockbank.

Some good work from Wanderers after the restart culminated in veteran defender Tony Craig making a vital block as Doyle managed to get away a fierce shot from just inside the box.

Wanderers allowed Crawley to run at them from midfield but through Archie Davies but the ball came to Sam Matthews could only find the hands of Gilks as he let fly from distance.

Sarcevic played a lovely ball into the box for Doyle but the Irishman turned his chance over the bar.

The visitors broke the deadlock on the hour when captain Francomb put the finishing touches on a fine move to guide the ball home.

Doyle almost snatched an equaliser through persistence just moments later but his volley after Jake Hessenthaler had blocked his initial effort was palmed away by Morris.

Thomason almost put Wanderers level but his left-footer took a slight deflection to go the other side of ther post and out for a corner.

Morris made a smart stop to keep out a shot from Jones after the wing back was played in by Thomason and Wanderers were really pressing hard for a leveller.

The Crawley keeper was on top form as he kept out a piledriver from Brockbank after the defender was set up by Isgrove.

Wanderers were now stepping up even more in search of the equaliser their endeavour deserved.

The crossbar came to the rescue of the visitors when Doyle’s header from Sarcevic’s cross rattled off the woodwork.

Wanderers were throwing everything at the Crawley keeper, and Delfouneso’s close range shot from Isgrove’s low centre was somehow kept out by Morris.

But despite creating over 20 chances on goal, they were unable to get the point their play deserved.

Wanderers had to finish the closing stages with ten men after Greenidge was shown a second yellow card.


Bolton Wanderers:

Gilks, Jones, Almeida Santos, Delfouneso, Doyle, Sarcevic, Greenidge, Tutte, Brockbank, Isgrove, Thomason.

Subs Not Used: Crellin, Taft, Delaney, Comley, Crawford, Darcy, Baptiste.


Crawley Town:

Morris, Davies, Craig, Tunnicliffe, Dallison, Francomb (Bulman 70), Powell, Hessenthaler, Matthews (Ashford 70), Nichols, Nadesan (Sesay 87).

Subs Not Used: Nelson, McNerney, Frost, Galach.

Goal: Francomb (61).

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Jones still playing left wing.
No subs used with crawford and darcy parked on the bench.
Greenidge completely knackered leading to his red card with delanley parked on the bench.

I am giving this one to Ian - at this point this is basic football management - forget about changing the tactics during the game - that is apparently beyond our last 5 managers.

Very frustrating and another case of “so near and yet so far”. Despite our frailties we probably deserved a draw. Terence makes a fair point - subs may have helped although towards the end we were creating plenty of chances anyway - but fresh legs may have helped pile on the pressure even more.
And I agree that our signings in the window need to be quality even if it’s just a couple of players. We’re not a million miles from being a competitive team already but we just need a bit more in key areas - and for our better players to stay injury free. Tutte was excellent again.

boltonbonce wrote:It's getting on my tits now.
You'll have to look elsewhere for an in depth analysis.

Perfectly sums up my feelings too!!!

Jones playing on the left is plainly not working and he was terrible on Saturday. We need to find a left footed full back or wing back from somewhere.

Why did we only start to play when we went 1-0 down again? Their keeper had a blinder but we have to convert our chances.

Big month coming up with the transfer window open, we need a LB/LWB, another DM and another striker is a must.

We often have short periods in games where we take over and look to be building a head of steam to score - then it just fizzles out. We need signings, especially is Evatt wants to go 433 as I don’t see Delf working left wing (assuming he plays Isgrove RW)?

Sounds like a full back in Declan John is being signed though, which suggests the current system is being stuck to.

Either way, big window for Evatt. Need signs of progression in the second half of the season.

I don't expect Barca but can we get some simple common sense going. Hoping for some decent signings shortly but currently I have no confidence that Ian will know what to do with them - e.g. sign a left winger and play him at right back....I dunno
As others have said we are not that far off having a decent team - the next month will tell.

Are you referring to Isgrove playing right back there?

Think he's referring to Evatt constantly playing a right back as a left wing back as he's done for most of the season. He obviously doesn't rate Gordon or Mascoll.

Don't think playing Isgrove as a wing back worked either.

Can’t say I rate Gordon either, haven’t seen enough of Mascoll to comment. At this point I’ll give Evatt the benefit of the doubt and assume the signings he’s written off weren’t his doing, with a couple of transfer windows recruiting players better suited to the system maybe we can turn the corner.