After a COVID-enforced free midweek wiped out our match against Morecambe, Bolton are back in action tomorrow as they kick off 2021 with a home game against Crawley Town.
The 2020 part of the 2020/21 season could have gone a lot better, with us currently sitting five points off even a play-off place. It is all to play for, we’re not far away, but we do need to sort ourselves out at the back, having lapsed in December, we need to start turning up from the first minute of games, which didn’t happen against Carlisle and Port Vale, and it looks like we’ll need at least four signings in the January window, although Kieran Lee and Declan John could account of two of them.
IAN EVATT | Manager ahead of Crawley Town home fixture – YouTube
Team news
Peter Kioso is suspended, so that’s one enforced change. Ian Evatt has indicated others but there aren’t any known new injury concerns.
Previously…
This is our first ever home game against Crawley, and our first ever league game. We did however lose to them in the second round of the League Cup back in 2012. Benik Afobe had given us the lead, but goals from Billy Clarke and Nicky Ajose saw us, not long out of the Premier League at that time, knocked out by opposition two leagues before us, Owen Coyle left the club about six weeks later.
The opposition
Crawley sit ninth, only goal difference keeping them out of the play-offs. They’re a team that mix it up in terms of their formation. Max Watters is their main goal threat, and has been linked with a move up the food chain, but hasn’t been involved in the last couple of games. Even if he isn’t involved, there’s still Tom Nicholls, who has seven goals himself, and his movement can cause problems.
Prediction
Can see both teams scoring, but them outscoring us, Watters or no Watters. 2-1 to Crawley.