Report: AFC Fylde 1-1 Bolton XI

Bolton Wanderers XI recorded a 1-1 draw against AFC Fylde at Kellamergh Park on Wednesday evening.

Following a goalless first half, Wanderers opening the scoring from the penalty spot through George Newell after Kaiyne Woolery had been fouled in the area.

Fylde weren’t to be denied however and earned themselves a spot-kick of their own ten minutes from time – one which Dion Charles duly dispatched to earn the home side a draw at the final whistle.

Medo Kamara was selected to feature in midfield for Bolton XI against the Coasters, while Filip Twardzik was also in the starting line-up for the Whites.

Niall Maher meanwhile continued to sport the captain’s armband for Wanderers.

Iain Brunskill’s side started brightly, with Kaiyne Woolery’s early mazy run to the byline causing havoc amongst Fylde’s backline.

The frontman’s presence continued to cause problems for the home side, although Ben Hinchliffe in the Coasters’ goal remained relatively untroubled.

After withstanding a period of Bolton pressure, the home side suddenly had Wanderers on the backfoot as Dion Charles saw his shot from a tight angle deflected away from a crowded goalmouth.

Joe McGee was next to try his luck for the hosts as he collected a pass just inside the area, but the Fylde man couldn’t control his effort and saw it fly harmlessly over Ross Fitzsimons’ crossbar.

The tempo of the game remained at a brisk pace, with each side seeing their respective players going into tackles with a whole-hearted attitude, regardless of the pre-season nature of the clash.

Just before the half hour mark, and with the scoreline still goalless, Twardzik attempted to fool the Fylde keeper with a lofted long range effort, only to see Hinchliffe scoop the ball to safety at the last second.

George Newell meanwhile managed to force Hinchliffe into his first save of the game as he drilled goalwards from an angle, only to see the ball parried away and behind for a corner.

With the game heading towards half time, Hayden White’s mazy run from his full-back berth almost reaped dividends as he lofted a teasing ball into the box, only to see it elude any Bolton shirts.

Just two minutes before the break, Richie Baker looked set to break the deadlock for Fylde as the ball fell to his feet just yards from goal, but a lack of control meant that his shot trickled wide of the far post, much to his dismay.

Despite their efforts late on in the half however with Richie Allen seeing his curled effort from all of 20 yards saved by Fitzsimons, the scores remained goalless at the break.

With two changes at the break – Harry Campbell replacing Fitzsimons and Callum Spooner on in place of Garratt – Wanderers began the second period brightly with White yet again in the mix for Wanderers.

It was the home side who enjoyed the first clear cut opportunity of the second period however, with Danny Rowe’s direct free-kick taking a deflection before whisking inches wide of the upright while a goalmouth scramble from the resulting corner proved ultimately fruitless.

Out of nowhere however, Wanderers were handed an opportunity to open the scoring from the penalty spot as Woolery was fouled in the area, with Newell slotting home the resulting spot-kick with ease with 55 minutes gone.

Visibly boosted by their goal, the Whites pushed forward in a bid to extend their advantage with Maher attempting to force the ball below Hinchliffe at the near post but to no avail.

The home side made a triple substitution with 23 minutes remaining in a bid to pull themselves back into the clash, while Bolton almost added a second as Medo found substitute Jamie Thomas in on goal, only for the striker to be denied by the heroics of Hinchliffe.

As the clash entered its final 15 minutes, the home side stepped up the pressure on Brunskill’s side while on the counter attack, Wanderers saw Jon Ceberio’s strike smash against his own man in Woolery with the goal at his mercy.

With just ten minutes left however, Fylde drew level with a penalty kick of their own, Dion Charles the man who slotted home from 12 yards past Campbell in the Bolton goal.

Wanderers were almost back in front immediately however as Woolery struck the ball through a crowded penalty area, with a rogue boot ensuring his effort flew wide of the mark with the Fylde keeper stranded.

As the full time whistle drew ever nearer, it was all Bolton as Woolery in particular, alongside Maher, battered the Fylde backline with a tirade of attacks which were ultimately halted.

Thomas almost made Hinchliffe pay for a lack of concentration on the stroke of full time as he lost the ball just yards away from the goalmouth, but the keeper managed to recover at the decisive moment to ensure the game ended all square.