Report: Hamilton 2 Wanderers 0

Second-half goals from Andrew Ryan and Stephen Hendrie decide Saturday's friendly at New Douglas Park

Two second-half goals from Andrew Ryan and Stephen Hendrie ensured Wanderers' second pre-season friendly ended 2-0 to Hamilton Academical.

Owen Coyle fielded 22 players at New Douglas Park in a game where Bolton just couldn't quite find their cutting edge in the final third.

Darren Pratley and Tom Eaves both had two decent openings to put Wanderers ahead before Hamilton took the lead 15 minutes into the second half.

Substitute Chris Eagles rattled the woodwork with an effort from distance, however, the hosts ensured the contest ended in their favour with Hendrie's strike 22 minutes from full-time.


All in all, it was a strong first half showing from Wanderers who created a number of chances to break the deadlock in what proved an entertaining but scoreless first 45 minutes.

The opportunities started in just the third minute when Martin Petrov raced clear, only to dink his chip wide of the post from just eight yards out.

Darren Pratley was his typical energetic self and he twice could have bagged his first goal of pre-season.

After seizing on a loose ball on the edge of the area on 20 minutes, the midfielder forced Accies keeper Kevin Cuthbert into a good low save with his legs before finding himself in an even more promising position moments later.

Chung-Yong Lee played the perfectly weighted slide-rule pass through the centre of Hamilton's defence but Pratley, who perhaps had too much time, dragged his shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Mills, who looked threatening from set-pieces, headed a Petrov corner wide, while Alonso would have netted his second goal in as many pre-season outings if not for a smart low block from Cuthbert.

After Bolton's dominance in the opening half hour, the hosts began to play themselves into the game in the latter stages of the first half.

Bogdan made an excellent save to prevent him from being caught out by Andrew Ryan's cross-shot from the left wing, although a more routine stop was necessary when striker Jon McShane cut in and fired goalwards with his right foot.

As with the midweek draw at Ayr, Coyle made wholesale changes at the break as nine substitutions were made, including trialist Kalifa Cisse who was given another chance impress. Only Mills and Chung-Yong re-emerged for the start of the second half having started the first.

Tom Eaves was handed the opportunity to spearhead the Wanderers attack and within five minutes of the restart, he twice headed wide from promising positions inside the six yard box.

Eagles, another to be introduced at the break, also missed the target by a narrow margin, with his speculative chip from the edge of the box floating just wide of the far post.

Bolton continued to boss things and the opening goal seemed destined to be scored by a man in a white shirt.

But on the hour mark, Hamilton took the lead after winger Ryan captialised on a loose ball inside the area, with his shot just eluding debutant Lonergan, who had made a fantastic full-length block to deny McShane moments earlier.

Eagles almost offered the immediate response with a 30-yard shot that beat Cuthbert, only for the ball to crash back off the woodwork.

Hendrie made sure the game ended in the Scottish team's favour when he volleyed home Hamilton's second of the game on 67 minutes.

Lonergan denied Connor McGlinchey and Mills stuck out a boot to deflect Ryan's follow-up, but Hendrie made no mistake at the third time of asking.

The final stages produced very little in the way of action as a number of changes were made by both managers.

Next up for Wanderers is the third and final leg of the tour at Falkirk on Wednesday evening.

Wanderers:Bogdan (Lonergan 46), Alonso (Ricketts 46), Ream (Knight 46), Mills (Blakeman 70), Riley (Mears 46), Andrews (M Davies 46), Vela (Eagles 46), Petrov (Wylde 46), Pratley (Cisse 46), Chung-Yong Lee (O'Halloran 65), K Davies (Eaves 46) 

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