Report: Bolton Wanderers U23s vs. Crystal Palace U23s

David Lee’s men suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of their Crystal Palace counterparts in a Professional Development League clash yesterday evening, with Oluwale Tanimowo scoring Wanderers’ sole goal.

First Half

Palace started with a high intensity press, which continued throughout the 90 minutes, and paid dividends early on as Rob Street fired a shot past the outstretched hand of Matthew Alexander to open up the scoring.

Just over twenty minutes in and the away side were awarded a penalty after Alexander had been judged to have brought down a Palace attacker in the area.

Gio McGregor stepped up to take the spot kick and had his effort saved magnificently by Alexander, who tipped the ball over the bar with ease.

Seven minutes before the break and Palace had their second, as Kian Flanagan curled an 18-yard shot into the bottom corner to extend the Eagles lead.

They extended their lead to three just before the break, as Street got his second with a powerful run down the right channel and firing across Alexander’s body.

Second Half

After the break and Palace picked up where they left off, as following a Tanimowo one-on-one chance with goalkeeper Dion Henry that was saved, McGregor ran up to the other end of the pitch and rounded Alexander to score Palace’s fourth of the evening.

Just past the hour mark and Wanderers had a goal, as Jonathan Ustabasi’s through ball to Tanimowo was pinpoint accurate, leaving the striker to poke home the ball underneath Henry.

With nine minutes to spare, McGregor got his second for the afternoon as he beat the offside trap to ultimately place the ball underneath an onrushing Alexander to seal the three points up for the away side.

Full Time

Wanderers XI: Alexander, Whalley, Edmondson, Richards, Osigwe, Thomas, King-Harmes, Ustabasi, Tanimowo, Brown-Sterling, White.

Substitutes: Colvin, Hutchinson, Wilcox, Lockett.

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