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Sunderland AFC v bolton wanderers...
match report |
Sunderland were out battled and out played today by a Bolton side desperate to secure their Premier League futures. A first half goal from Senegal international El Hadji Diouf and an own goal from Daryl Murphy made it back to back away defeats for the Lads.
To be fair it was no more than Bolton deserved as they capitalised on a Sunderland side who lost a lot of their shape when Liam Miller was played on the right wing at the expense of Carlos Edwards and crucially Nosworthy took position at right back.
With our Premier League status guaranteed our fans arrived in good spirit and there were many examples of fancy dress but if they expected a party at the Reebook they were mistaken.
Bolton/ Wimbledon got in our faces from the start and looked dangerous moving down their right flank but despite a number of crosses into the box it didn’t tell until the 42nd minute when Diouf emerged unmarked at the right back to finish tidily.
Bolton stretched the play well but should never have been allowed to cross and Nosworthy was caught out by Diouf’s movements for the goal.
Throughout the first half our players were under constant pressure when in possession and all too often resorted to humping it long for Kenwyne Jones and we had barely had a sniff when the lads went in for half time.
It was the interval in fact that brought the most entertainment for the away fans as a 13 year old lad walked around the stadium doing various footy skills and showing us what we had missed for the first 45 minutes and to be fair what Bolton have missed since their founding.
Changes were needed but initially didn’t come as Roy Keane sent out the same side to redeem themselves.
However nothing changed, Bolton continued to get in our faces, we still couldn’t string more than three or four passes together and while they looked nervous Bolton always seemed the more likely to get the next goal.
Keane tried to mix it up with a triple substitution, Chopra, Nosworthy and Miller came off for Murphy, Leadbitter, and O’donovan and initially it worked well with the lads moving the ball about nicely and creating a scrappy chance at the back post that Jones narrowly missed.
It wasn’t to be though as Bolton won a corner and Murphy proceeded to put it into his own net. Game set and match as the Lads were well beaten by a side that wanted it just a little bit more.
Final Score: Bolton 2 Sunderland 0
ALS Man of the Match: Jonny Evans or the bloke behind us dressed as Batman. Get him signed Keano. Evans that is, not Batman.
Michael Mould
ALS Books click here
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