Bolton made it back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season with a 2-1 win at Stevenage.
Ian Evatt sensibly went with the same starting eleven that beat Salford eight days ago and was rewarded with a win to back that performance up. Wanderers looked very comfortable in the first half, and a wonderful move was finished off by Eoin Doyle, following up with an acrobatic effort after Antoni Sarcevic’s shot was stopped by Jamie Cumming. Gethin Jones then sat up Ali Crawford for the second, Crawford curling in what was his first league goal for the club.
In between that we could have scored from a corner, and pleasingly Stevenage’s only real effort came from a free kick. But that changed before the break. There seemed to be a foul in the build-up, but it wasn’t given, then Aramide Oteh set up Tom Pett who finished brilliantly to put Stevenage back in the game.
Both sides had chances in the second half, and we could have easily not come away with the win – Pett was Stevenage’s best attacking threat and only a superb save from a scrambling Matt Gilks denied Pett a curling effort that would have gone in the top corner for an equaliser – yes, we’re able to praise the keeper…
Gethin Jones had a couple of chances to seal the game as a contest, while Doyle missed out on a second when his late effort was easily saved by Cumming.
Stevenage had too many chances for my liking, but overall, over the 90 minutes, we were the better side in a game we would have probably lost a few weeks ago. The game management in added time was good too, even if it would have annoyed the home fans if they were allowed in.
Somewhat surprisingly, we only made two changes, now we’re allowed five I thought more would have been made, but I suppose there were few tactical tweaks to address, I thought Comley may have come on, but keeping the ball was a must when you’re leading with minutes to go, and he hasn’t been great on that front.
Bolton are now four points off the playoffs. Is it too early to start glancing up the table?