Can we score a goal? Pick up a point? Even win a game in League Two? Is that all too much to ask?
Bolton’s start to the season simply hasn’t been good enough, and with three defeats from three now travel to Harrogate tomorrow. Well, sort of. The match will be played at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium, while their usual Wetherby Road ground has a grass pitch laid. This might have been the weekend where fans were allowed back in football grounds, but now that looks as if it still won’t happen for a while.
It’s Wanderers’ first ever game against them, and we need a reaction. Ian Evatt has mentioned changes. Let’s see what he’s going to do try and kick start this season.
🗣️ '𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.' 💬
🎥 Ian Evatt spoke to https://t.co/oVVl0dtnLo ahead of Saturday's fixture against @HarrogateTown.#BWFC 🐘🏰 pic.twitter.com/ExlgBwyMXc
— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) October 1, 2020
Team news
Of our latest two signings, Lloyd Isgrove will miss out due to injury, but Arthur Gnahoua will be available for selection. Shaun Miller and Antoni Sarcevic, the latter who has been training like a man possessed according to Evatt (the whole club seems to have been possessed by something for most of the last decade…) might be good to return. For Harrogate, Jack Muldoon might return after a minor muscle injury, but Saturday is too soon for goalkeeper James Belshaw.
Previously…
No previous, this will be a first ever game against Harrogate for us. It’s our second trip to the Keepmoat in 2020 though, back in February we lost 2-1 against the usual home side Doncaster. That’s the last away game I went to…
The opposition
Harrogate were promoted from the National League last season after beating Notts County in the play-off final at an empty Wembley. They’ve started this season very well, thrashing Southend at Roots Hall on the opening weekend and followed that up with draws against Port Vale and Walsall. They also faced Premier League opposition in the Carabao Cup second round but lost 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion. Midfielder Tom Walker is one of our academy products, he played 18 league games for us, scoring his one goal at Wigan in March 2015. Walker signed for Harrogate from Fylde this summer.
Prediction
They’re apparently good at set-pieces, so I can see us being nice in the middle of the park then conceding a headed goal at the end of each half. 2-o to them.