Report: Crewe 2-3 Bolton (AET)

Bolton Wanderers progressed to the third round of the Capital One Cup courtesy of Jermaine Beckford’s extra time winner at Crewe.

The hosts started the game at a real tempo and took the lead inside two minutes through Bradden Inman.

Though Bolton eventually gained their composure and gained a real stranglehold of the game towards the end of the first half when Darren Pratley headed an equaliser.

And at the end of a pretty eventless second period Beckford slammed home what seemed a late winner, only for Marcus Haber to restore parity.

But Beckford and Bolton were not to be denied, with the striker guiding home the winner in the second period of extra time following Lee Chung-Yong’s sublime pass.

Dougie Freedman made a total of nine changes to the starting line-up that had previously taken to the field at Brighton.

Youngsters Chris Lester, Conor Wilkinson and Oscar Threlkeld were the notable inclusions from the off.

With two minutes on the clock the hosts had opened the scoring.

Wide man Inman was afforded space on the left flank. After skipping forward into the Bolton half, he then cut infield before bending a right-footed effort into Andrew Lonergan’s far corner.

The home side were clearly buoyed.

Inman continued to be the primary threat, as he once again checked on to his right side before firing a 30-yard shot wide of the top corner.

Defender George Ray then looped a header onto the bar from a corner kick before Vadaine Oliver volleyed wide following Lonergan’s smart save from Inman’s run and shot.

As the half-hour mark approached Bolton began to gain a stranglehold of the tie.

Liam Feeney saw a low cross taken off the toe of Jermaine Beckford, who seemed certain to convert.

Feeney was then heavily involved as Bolton levelled on 40 minutes.

After being released down the left following a clever pass from Beckford, Feeney skinned his marker before sending over a looping cross from the byline which an unmarked Pratley nodded home.

Prior to the half’s conclusion, Inman once again worked Lonergan from the left channel whilst Liam Trotter was forced from the field of play with a seeming knee complaint; Neil Danns his replacement.

Bolton started the second half the better of the two sides, forcing a flurry of corner kicks which were scrambled clear by the hosts.

On the hour Beckford then played a neat give and go with Wilkinson before firing a low shot into the midriff of Crewe stopper Ben Garrett.

Lee and Joe Mason were thrown into the action in an attempt to break down a resolute Crewe backline.

As the game wore on chances were at a real premium.

Crewe skipper Matt Tootle galloped forward from right-back before lashing an effort narrowly over the bar whilst Danns saw a low daisy-cutter from the edge of the area blocked.

The remainder of the game passed by until into stoppage time Wanderers seemed to have ground out a winner.

A cross from the right deflected up into the air, with Beckford showing superb poise to crash home a full volley into the net.

But out of nowhere Crewe had a late response.

From the right side Inman flighted a cross to the back post, with substitute Marcus Haber heading home to send the game into extra time.

Both sides fashioned a couple of half chances in the opening period of extra time.

Lonergan once again had to be on his toes to tip Haber’s shot on the spin on to the woodwork before Billy Waters fizzed a low shot wide from distance.

Up the other end Mason did see a header from Feeney’s centre loop narrowly over the bar.

At the start of the second half of extra time a moment of real quality saw Wanderers regain the lead.

Lee’s delightful ball over the Crewe rear-guard was superbly guided beyond the onrushing goalkeeper by Beckford’s clever first-time shot.

Crewe responded but for all their endeavours were unable to muster a second equaliser, as Bolton booked their place in the third round of the competition.