Report: Bolton 1-2 Swindon Town
IN BRIEF
Wanderers slipped to defeat late on against Swindon Town at Macron Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The deadlock was broken in style just two minutes into the second half with David Wheater volleying home from a corner kick to give Bolton the lead.
The visitors were level shortly after the hour mark however, with Ben Gladwin thundering home from 20 yards with his powerful effort giving Ben Alnwick no chance in the Bolton goal.
And with just a minute of the 90 left to go, the Robins snatched the lead through Yaser Kasim to take all three points back to Wiltshire.
TEAM NEWS
Wanderers were completely unchanged from their Emirates FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace last weekend, with both the starting XI and substitutes the same.
FIRST HALF
Bolton started brightly, with Zach Clough’s shot from the edge of the box being palmed away by Lawrence Vigouroux inside the opening minute.
The academy graduate was right back in the thick of it soon after, with another effort from distance being smothered by the Swindon keeper at the second attempt.
The Town defence were struggling to keep tabs on the forward as the first ten minutes of the clash passed, with their own forays into Bolton territory proving to be fruitless.
The visitors weren’t just there to make up the numbers however, and with the Bolton defence having to be on their guard.
Despite all of Bolton’s pressure however, as the game reached its quarter-hour mark they weren’t really troubling Vigouroux too much.
The Robins were proving a tough nut to crack, with the Whites being restricted to shots from distance and hopeful crosses into the box.
Clear cut chances were very much few and far between, with a sense of frustration lingering for Wanderers as they looked to break down their resilient opponents.
A Clough free-kick in the 38th minute certainly woke the clash up though, with the striker’s thunderous effort from 20 yards parried by Vigouroux.
Islam Feruz meanwhile came close for Swindon, only to see his shot from ten yards ricochet into the welcome arms of Ben Alnwick.
As two minutes of additional time were indicated, Bolton threw men forward in a bid to go in at the break ahead, but their efforts were in vain as the first half ended goalless.
SECOND HALF
With no changes for either side, the second half got back underway at Macron Stadium.
And Wanderers started with a bang as Wheater volleyed home from just inside the area, with the ball finding the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Swindon were at sixes and sevens in the aftermath of Bolton’s opener, while Henry saw a header crash against the post with a second goal for the Whites seemingly imminent.
Phil Parkinson’s men were oozing confidence, with the Robins unable to contain the home side.
Out of nowhere however, the visitors were level through Gladwin who thundered home from 20 yards with Alnwick given absolutely no chance.
Completely against the run of play, they almost snatched the lead through Yaser Kasim but he couldn’t keep his effort down when unmarked in six yard box.
Carnage then ensued in the Swindon area, with Bolton unable to turn the ball home and Henry hitting the post alongside Vela seeing a goalbound shot deflect just over.
It was end to end stuff at Macron Stadium, with both teams going for it in a bid to snatch a winning goal as Charlie Colkett saw a close range shot blocked by Wheater.
Henry also saw a daisy-cutter flash just wide of the post with seven minutes remaining.
It was all hands to the pump for Wanderers inside the closing stages, but on a rare foray into Bolton territory the visitors took the lead through Kasim with a minute of the 90 to go.
And try as they might in four minutes of additional time, the Trotters just couldn't force an equaliser as they slipped to a rare home defeat.
FULL TIME