Report: York City 0-2 Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers continued their pre-season preparations with a positive performance and victory against York City at Bootham Crescent.

Mark Davies opened the scoring inside a lively opening 20 minutes for Bolton, before late on Jamie Proctor converted from the spot to seal victory.

The home side did have a chance to level the scoring from the penalty spot, but Mark Howard was on hand superbly keep out Scott Fenwick’s kick from 12 yards.

Zach Clough and trialist Frazer Richardson were forced from the field play with slight knocks inside the opening 45, in what were the only incidents of concern on an otherwise encouraging afternoon.

Richardson was in from the off, starting at right-back having previously being an unused substitute at Tranmere on Tuesday night. Along with a host of the club’s younger players, trialists Neal Eardley and Danny Collins were also named amongst the substitutes.

Bolton were much the better side in the early throes and were a goal up inside five minutes.

Jay Spearing clipped a ball up to Gary Madine, who in turn helped divert the ball into the path of Davies. He took a clever first touch away from a defender inside the area, before rifling into the bottom corner.

Minutes later it was almost two, as Clough danced his way beyond a defender and into the left channel before sending a low shot marginally past the foot of the far post.

Bolton’s play was positive, with Jay Spearing, Darren Pratley and Davies constantly looking to feed the attacking front three of Clough, Madine and Max Clayton.

On 17 minutes Madine once again did well with his back to goal, bringing Davies into play who skipped forward before firing narrowly wide via a slight deflection.

York rarely threatened. Tricky wideman Aidan Connolly slicing wide from just inside the area during a rare foray forward for the hosts.

Wanderers then suffered a double injury blow inside the space of ten minutes.

First, Clough was forced from the field of play with a slight knock after chasing down a ball in the channel before Richardson then departed. Neither injury looked too serious, but both walked down the tunnel for further treatment. Jamie Proctor and Eardley were on from the bench.

Early on in the second period Proctor twice threatened in the left channel, though was edged out on both occasions when attempting to engineer space for a shot on goal.

Proctor was once again involved on 50 minutes, crossing for Clayton who saw his diving header superbly repelled by a York trialist in goal.

On the hour mark the hosts had the chance to level from the penalty spot, after Howard was adjudged to have upended Connolly when racing out of his goal to clear a long ball forward. After some deliberation about whether the incident had occurred inside out outside the area, the referee pointed to the spot.

Fenwick stepped up, but saw his penalty kick superbly saved by Howard low down to his left.

York cub Yan Klukowski then fired marginally wide, as the home side seemingly upped the tempo.

But Bolton responded. Proctor continued to cause problems down the left channel. On 70 minutes he once again picked out Clayton who fizzed an effort inches over the woodwork.

Madine came even closer following Spearing’s clever cut-back from the right, volleying wide from just inside the area.

And Proctor was eventually rewarded for his endeavours late in the piece. After being felled in the area, he stepped up confidently dispatch from the penalty spot and wrap up victory for Wanderers.