Preseason matches 2024/5

Wanderers got their pre-season programme up and running with positive work-out and a welcome win thanks to goals from Kyle Dempsey and Aaron Collins at St George’s Park, writes Pete Oliver.
A day before Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions bid to win the European Championships for the first time, the Whites enjoyed the surroundings of the home of the England teams to make the ideal start to their summer schedule as Dempsey and Collins struck at the end of each half.
Manager Ian Evatt utilised all his current fit first-team players to give them game time, with most playing 45 minutes and others for an hour as he saw his side come from behind to make a winning start.
The trip came too soon for new arrival Scott Arfield to join in after he only stepped off a plane from the United States to sign a day ago.
But Kaidi Lolos got his first outing in a Wanderers’ shirt and there was also a welcome return to match action for George Johnston – 12 months on from the knee injury that kept him out of all of last season.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
 
Johnston started the game and slotted back into a Wanderers’ defence which was breached after just a couple of minutes when Brandon Thomas-Asante steered the ball home to give the Baggies the lead.
The Championship side also fielded two different XIs but had almost all their senior players and some new faces on duty and made a lively start in which Thomas-Asante also forced Nathan Baxter into a sharp save.
But Wanderers worked their way into a competitive contest and deserved to be level at the break when George Thomason fed the ball to Dempsey, who took a couple of touches before powering a shot into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.
Dempsey was one of those to get a more extended run and threatened again at the start of a second half which brought the Whites a handful of chances from some more positive passages of play.
Aaron Morley was instrumental in a couple of the brightest moments with probing passes as Collins twice went close to a second goal and new B Team signing Dubem Eze also saw a shot saved by Ted Cann.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
 
Albion replied with a bright spell of their own which could have seen them regain the lead, but Joel Coleman made a couple of smart blocks, Sam Inwood cleared off the line from Josh Maja and Jayson Molumby hit the woodwork.
And having come through that test, Wanderers finished strongly and secured a confidence-boosting victory with a couple of minutes to go when Collins was again given a run on goal and this time coolly finished with an effort low into the bottom corner to set Evatt’s men back off on the right foot.
First-half XI: Baxter, Toal, Santos, Johnston, Dacres-Cogley, Conway, Thomason, Sheehan, Dempsey, Lolos, N’Lundulu.
Second-half XI: Coleman, Forrester, Toal (Halford 60), Inwood, Dacres-Cogley (Matheson 60), Weston, Sheehan (Khumbeni 60), Morley, Dempsey (Eze 60), Adeboyejo, Collins.

I see we beat the mighty Chorley 4-0 last night. If Nat was around she would be seething 

Friendly: Chorley 0-4 Bolton:

Match Reaction: Ian Evatt gives transfer & injury updates after win at Chorley

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Ian Evatt was pleased to emerge from a tricky friendly against Chorley with a comfortable win and a clean bill of health for his injury-hit Wanderers squad.

Jack Iredale made his first appearance of pre-season in the 4-0 win at Victory Park, and the Whites will soon be able to call on new signings Chris Forino and Luke Southwood, plus last season’s top scorer Dion Charles.

Evatt revealed that the club have three ‘live’ bids but that at least one could be delayed by involvement in European competition this week and next.

A straightforward victory against neighbours Chorley was just what the doctor ordered for the Whites, who have experienced their fair share of frustration in the last few weeks.

But Evatt is generally pleased with what he has seen on the pitch and believes his team are heading towards the season in decent form.

Asked if he was where he would like to be at this stage, he replied: “In terms of the squad being finalised, no. Recruitment in this window is tough and there are reasons and context behind that.

“Obviously, the injuries haven’t helped either but some are returning, so that is a positive, and it is down to us to get up to speed now.

“In general, I think we have looked pretty good. There are one or two tweaks we are looking to make. West Brom was good, for 60 minutes on Saturday we were excellent and then tonight, again, sometimes these games can be banana skins, they can be difficult, and we have seen that in the past. Other teams have played here in pre-season and struggled.

“So, to win 4-0 is very good.”

Wanderers were without eight first team players at one stage last week and will have to manage for the foreseeable without vice-captain Gethin Jones, who picked up a knee injury early in pre-season. Kyle Dempsey is also unlikely to feature against Fiorentina on Friday as he gets to the bottom of a knee problem of his own.

Asked if he was concerned about the run of injuries, Evatt added: “When we get injured I am always concerned and it seems to be our way, when we get them they tend to be in bundles. This is one of the only times since I have been involved in football that so many historical ones have been carried through the summer and into next season – and more than one or two.

“Dion is returning to training on Thursday, Chris Forino early next week, Jack (Iredale) is back now.

“Kyle (Dempsey), the scan was positive news but the scan doesn’t really fit with the symptoms at the moment, so he will go to see a specialist on Thursday.

“Gethin probably requires some surgery. I don’t know the length of time with that.

“Luke Southwood is back training, which is a positive. Carlos (Mendes Gomes) is long term, Randell (Williams) will be a couple of weeks into the season starting.”

Evatt confirmed that Josh Sheehan’s withdrawal from the squad at Chorley had nothing to do with injury.

“Josh was rested,” he said. “He played all summer for Wales and his load has been more than the others so we decided to give him a rest tonight. I think he’ll have enough running to do on Friday.”

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Chorley 0-4 Bolton Wanderers - The Big Match Verdict

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

A pre-season pick-me-up? The first silverware of the season? An unsurprisingly comfortable win against non-league opponents? However you choose to spin it, Bolton fans went home happier than they arrived at Chorley.

It has been a tough summer in many respects for Wanderers – a lengthy list of injuries adding to the frustrations of a slow transfer market, all in the aftermath of ‘that’ result at Wembley.

Something had to put a smile on people’s faces eventually, so why not a 4-0 win against neighbours Chorley, which earned the Harold Taylor Memorial Trophy.

Two penalties converted by Aaron Morley and Victor Adeboyejo either side of an own goal and a fine finish from Nelson Khumbeni certainly made for pleasant viewing on a summer’s evening.

Wanderers were able to bring Jack Iredale into the squad for the first time in pre-season but midfielder Josh Sheehan was not named on the team-sheet. The significance of the Welshman’s absence was played down before the game, but such has been Bolton’s summer, any news seems to be bad news.

One thing working in their favour was the playing surface. A few years ago Ian Evatt was none-too-pleased by the state of the pitch at Victory Park, describing the length of the grass as “Amazonian” after a scrappy match. Mercifully, Chorley have since invested in a brand new playing surface conducive to passing football, and the two teams were able to move the ball around at furious pace in the opening exchanges.

Wanderers drew first blood after only three minutes. A corner had been won thanks to some quick thinking from Joel Coleman, whose bullet-like throw found Klaidi Lolos racing down the right channel, his cross eventually blocked.

The corner found Will Forrester at the far post and when he headed back into the six yard box the ball bounced up off a Chorley hand, leaving referee Mike Crusham a simple decision to point to the penalty spot.

Aaron Morley sent Matt Urwin the wrong way from the spot, a nice confidence boost on a night where his start alongside Scott Arfield in midfield would be given even more scrutiny in Sheehan’s absence.

Perhaps eager to catch the eye, Morley rattled into challenges early on and seemed to demand the ball at every turn. If Evatt continues with 5-2-3 into the new season there will be one less central spot to contest, and the former Rochdale man looked like he wanted to lay down a marker.

Bolton’s front three had changed its focal point from Saturday’s first half against Middlesbrough, Dan Nlundulu replacing Victor Adeboyejo. The link-up play was not quite as smooth, in truth, with the main danger coming from wing-backs, Luke Matheson and Max Conway.

Wigan Athletic had been held to a goalless draw by Andy Preece’s National League North side last week, and this was their seventh pre-season outing. As such, they looked sharp, Kole Hall driving one decent effort narrowly wide of Coleman’s left-hand post soon after they had gone behind.

Wanderers kept the ball for long spells but did at least try to keep the tempo up, never threatening to provoke that dull groan which sometimes accompanies their most pedestrian spells at home.

Collins struck one first-time effort over the bar, Will Forrester another wide from distance and Morley scuffed another 25-yarder after spotting Unwin had ventured a couple of yards off his line.

All fairly encouraging stuff as the half time interval approached. Conway got into a couple of good positions where a better final ball or a more confident finish might have resulted in a second goal but the 20-year-old had also been his side’s chief outlet, which was some responsibility.

First teamers who were not involved in the squad supported from the stands, including Gethin Jones, Dion Charles and Kyle Dempsey – and an old friend dropped by too, in the shape of Burnley keeper James Trafford.

Evatt is likely to have more options for Friday night’s friendly against Fiorentina but he will have been reasonably happy with what he saw over the first 45 minutes even though the home side had a little spell of pressure right on the interval, one long throw almost bringing an equaliser before Coleman made a good save on his line.

There were four changes at the break – Coleman, Johnston, Nlundulu, Forrester, Matheson, Arfield and Morley given another 15 minutes before they too were replaced. But by that point Wanderers were three goals ahead and sitting pretty.

Almost immediately after the restart Arfield drifted in a corner from the right which bounced off a defender and past Unwin into the net.

There was nothing fortuitous about the third goal moments later, ex-Leeds United striker Andreucci did well on the left, cutting a ball back for Nelson Khumbeni for a crisp finish into the bottom corner.

The depth of Middlesbrough’s Championship squad meant that Bolton’s late changes at Bishop Auckland at the weekend were highlighted rather ruthlessly but here, against opposition three divisions below, it worked the other way around.

To their credit, Bolton kept the tempo high even once their full team had been replaced. Andreucci, Khumbeni and Trevon Bryan showed some good touches, Noah Halford looked comfortable on the right side of the back three, and Iredale’s appearance off the bench meant the welcome return of those pin-point searching passes.

A fourth goal arrived on the 70th minute, Bryan raiding into the penalty box on the left and drawing an untidy challenge which sent him sprawling.

Victor Adeboyejo took responsibility from the spot, confidently placing the ball into the back of the net to a loud cheer, the majority of the 2,455 supporters Boltonians now rather enjoying their night.

Even Evatt had time for a bit of fun and games on the touchline, playfully running over to splash the opposite dugout and the fourth official after the pitch sprinklers had suddenly switched on with 10 minutes to go.

The result remains as inconsequential as the one against Middlesbrough but there is no doubt folk will feel better for seeing Bolton enjoy themselves again. A few moods could still do with lifting and if Evatt can find a couple of signings soon, it might make all the difference.

Wanderers first half: (5-2-3): Coleman; Matheson, Forrester, Santos, Johnston, Conway; Arfield, Morley; Lolos, Nlundulu, Collins.

Wanderers after 60 mins: Baxter; Dacres-Cogley, Halford, Toal, Iredale, Bryan; Thomason, Sharples-Ahmed; Khumbeni, Adeboyejo, Andreucci.

Referee: Mike Crusham.

Attendance: 2,455.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Review of Bolton Wanderers' Chorley friendly win

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The Bolton News' chief football writer Marc Iles gives his thoughts on Wanderers' 4-0 friendly win against Chorley at Victory Park, and some of the players who stood out on the night.

We also hear from Wanderers boss Ian Evatt on the current injury issues and his transfer plans, plus defender Jack Iredale who is now off the treatment table after a groin problem.

Press play below to start the audio.