Bolton 2-1 Walsall

A Wins a win put it wasn't pretty Footy Gods are with us at the minute. The record will show a 2-1 win and three points and at this stage that's all that matters

Pretty awful performance, perhaps the players had been reading all the hype?

Referee was kind to us today, not sure we'd have won without him.

Again, toothless in attack. It's time Miller was given a few games.

We're on a great run, but how many times have we blown the opposition away or played well for the majority of the match? Cambridge at home perhaps, not many others.

There will have to be a big improvement at FGR next weekend if we're to win that.

I knew today wouldn’t be easy against a side that clearly set out to waste as much time as possible and get under our skin. It worked perfectly first half but we all know cream always rises to the top. We’ve shown some amazing mettle to grind out wins lately. 

We are well overdue to knock 3/4 past someone and what better time to do it live on sky next weekend.

Fwiw I thought Evans would have made a few changes for todays game, considering he was talking about the team needed rotating, players not getting much time to heal from the niggles they have been picking, all the players have a part to play, etc, etc, and that Walsall aren't really that good a team.

I know some/most of what he says is just 'talk' and he has now found his best eleven but even still I would have thought a few would have started on the bench today and that players like Brockbank, Thomason and maybe even Maddison given a start.

Still another game and another win and a couple of other results went for us too.

Just hope we just don't run out of gas if the same eleven or so play the remaing games, as it looks to me now that might be his plan (injury and suspensions permitting).

I’ve now seen Nat and Sluffy call Evatt ‘Evans’

What’s going on?

All that matters at the moment is the win, so long as we keep grinding them out I’m happy and confidence will remain high (we do need to perform better though). Unbelievable run of results, doesn’t matter what league your in the staff and players deserve immense credit for this.

Report: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Walsall

Bolton Wanderers came from behind to pick up their tenth win in 12 games as they beat Walsall at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Sam Perry put the visitors in front with a precise strike from distance but Ian Evatt’s men dialled up the heat in the second half to run out deserved winners thanks to a header from Kieran Lee and an Eoin Doyle spot-kick, which took his tally to 15 goals for the season.

The Wanderers boss made just one enforced change with Lloyd Isgrove coming in for injured captain Antoni Sarcevic who tore his hamstring last Saturday at Port Vale.

Wanderers were on the front foot early on with Saddlers’ keeper Liam Roberts eventually holding on to a 20-yard drive from Dapo Afolayan.

The on-loan West Ham man somehow kept the ball in over on the far side and charged goalwards with his resulting shot being blocked by a Walsall defender.

Declan John’s centre was cleared at the expense of a corner after some intricate passing place set up the opportunity.

Walsall put in a decent display in the first half though, and Emmanuel Osabede’s shot on the turn was easily saved by Matt Gilks as the visitors broke forward.

The visitors took the lead after 28 minutes when Sam Perry’s shot from distance found its way past a diving Gilks.

Moments later, Wanderers charged forward and Nathan Delfouneso’s strike took a deflection for a corner.

Kieran Lee’s volley from distance flew just over the bar after the ball fell into his path following the corner kick. Wanderers were searching for a way back into the game.

Wanderers won a free-kick just outside the box when Afolayan was upended by James Clarke, who received a yellow card for the challenge. The midfielder picked himself up and took the set-piece which cannoned into the wall.

Five minutes following the restart, Afolayan’s shot from 20-yards dipped just over the bar after Lee won possession.

Wanderers had a great opportunity equalise moments later when Afolayan headed over from close range after meeting Gethin Jones’ inch-perfect cross from the right-hand side.

At the other end, Caolan Lavery flashed a shot wide just before the hour mark.

Liam Roberts’ tipped Declan John’s cross into the box over his bar after the ball appeared to be heading goalwards.

Another opportunity fell Wanderers' way when Ricardo Almeida Santos powered in to meet John’s corner, but the big defender was unable to keep his header on target.

Wanderers got a deserved equaliser after 68 minutes when Lee headed the ball over the line after Roberts’ kept out Jones’ deflected cross.

Walsall were then reduced to ten men for the final 17 minutes when Hayden White was shown a straight red for grabbing Afolayan around the throat.

Wanderers took the lead with ten minutes of the game remaining when Doyle slammed home his 15th goal of the campaign from the penalty spot after Lee was upended.

With five minutes of the game remaining, Arthur Gnahoua and Zack Elbouzedi came on for Afolayan and Isgrove, while Shaun Miller replaced Doyle moments after.

The hosts saw out the game comfortably to claim a victory that put them within one point of the automatic promotion places.


Bolton Wanderers: Gilks, Jones, Almeida Santos, Baptiste, John, Williams, Lee, Isgrove (Elbouzedi 85), Delfouneso (Thomason 90+3), Afolayan (Gnahoua 84), Doyle (Miller 90+1).

Unused Subs: Brockbank, Tutte, Maddison.

Goals: Lee (67), Doyle pen (80)


Walsall: Roberts, Norman, White, Clarke, Sadler (Osei Yaw 88), Melbourne, Kinsella, Perry, Gordon (Cockerill-Mollett 77), Osadebe (McDonald 88), Lavery (Bates 88).

Unused Subs: Rose, Sinclair, Wright.

Goal: Perry (28)

Red Card: White (73)

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