Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Sunderland
An early Zach Clough goal handed Bolton Wanderers three points at the Macron Stadium on Tuesday night.
Sunderland responded well after falling behind and they created chances to level before the break, but they were unable to take them and Bolton produced a stubborn second-half display to clinch a valuable win.
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TEAM NEWS
Chris Coleman made three changes at Macron Stadium as he reverted to three at the back. Ty Browning wasn’t included in the matchday squad and Ethan Robson and Aiden McGeady dropped to the bench, as Lamine Kone, Bryan Oviedo and Paddy McNair were named in the starting XI. Kone made his first appearance since last month’s trip to Birmingham City, while McNair made his second first-team outing of 2018.
BOLTON LEAD
A conservative start to the encounter saw both sides fail to apply any consistent pressure, but with 17 minutes on the clock the home side edged in front. Filipe Morais’ whipped free-kick tested the Sunderland backline the home side reacted first, as Clough bundled the ball towards goal where Lee Camp was unable to keep it out. With confidence flooding through their veins, Bolton continued to test the Black Cats as Sammy Ameobi headed straight at Camp as Coleman’s men struggled to find their groove.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
After seeing his side fall behind, Coleman, and indeed the red and white army, were left wondering what kind of response the Lads would produce – sink or swim? Thankfully, they got paddling and heaped on the pressure before the break as they searched for an equaliser. The best opportunities fell to Ashley Fletcher but Bolton defended manfully. Ben Alnwick produced a decent save one on one before the striker’s next effort looped agonisingly over the former Black Cat and inches wide, as McNair also saw an effort saved before the break. But it was something to build on following the restart.
STUBBORN RESISTANCE
The Lads continued to see a lot of the ball following the restart but Bolton managed to restrict them to chances from range before the hour mark. With a moment of quality looking like the best avenue for success, Coleman called upon Aiden McGeady with 63 minutes played in an effort to break the home side’s stubborn resistance. Asoro remained a bright spark throughout and his tenacity helped the Lads at both ends as he galloped up and down the right, but after winning a free-kick in a cracking position the opportunity went to waste, as McGeady’s first touch cannoned into the wall.
FINAL FLURRY
With just under 20 minutes remaining, Sunderland’s second change saw a switch in formation as Josh Maja replaced Jake Clarke-Salter and the Black Cats went with two up top. But they were almost caught cold soon after, as Ameobi’s rocket took a slight deflection and hurtled inches wide of Camp’s post. And the danger wasn’t over there, as Camp produced an emphatic save to deny Adam Le Fondre before Jem Karacan rattled the crossbar from eight yards on the follow up. After coming off the bench, Callum McManaman forced a good save in stoppage time, but Bolton clung on to seal the points.
Bolton Wanderers: Alnwick, Taylor, Dervite, Beevers, Karacan (Burke 90), Ameobi, Wilbraham (Le Fondre 59), Morais, Henry, Wheater, Clough (Osede 60)
Subs not used: Howard, Flanagan, Robinson, Walker.
Sunderland: Camp, Jones (McGeady 63), Oviedo, Clarke-Salter (Maja 72), O’Shea, Kone, Cattermole, McNair, Honeyman, Asoro (McManaman 83), Fletcher.
Subs not used: Steele, Williams, Love, Robson.