Bolton Wanderers 1-0 AFC Barrow match review

The Final Score 

Comfortable win or close call?


Bolton Wanderers come out as 1-0 victors against AFC Barrow in the EFL Carabao cup to seem them through to the next round. Bolton lined up with a heavily rotated team, including new signings Will Forrester, Zachary Ashworth, Paris Maghoma, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Dan Nlundulu. This was the starting team that Evatt went for and that rested many key players.


Statistical review 

Bolton Wanderers dominated the game and really should've scored more than they did, both Mendes Gomes and Nlundulu should've scored and Adeboyejo had a great chance when he came on. From the 16 shots only 3 were on target and that is simple not good enough, however it is 3 more than Barrow, who had 7 shots with 0 on target. Possession was also one-sided, Bolton had 78% possession of the ball and completely dictated the flow of the game, however this was mainly with the centre backs with Forrester and Santos completing 97 and 93 passes respectively. Again, only 1 big chance was created and yet again it was missed (this time by Mendes Gomes) it was an unfortunate miss but it is a chance you have to put away. 

Overall review

Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to watch the game so it will be based off the highlights. For me Paris Maghoma was a particular stand out performer, showcasing his quality on the ball, he often combined well with Mendes Gomes on the edge of the box or would carry it past players with ease. Moreover, he showed his set piece quality, with a corner in the first half - to most it would appear as if he struck it wrong, however he clips it into the space onto Iredale's run. This type of corner will be a common theme throughout the season. 

Zachary Ashworth also showed his set piece prowess with his goal in the in the 44th minute from a free kick just outside the box. Ashworth lined up just to the right of the D and whipped the ball into the bottom left corner on the goalkeeper's side, it was executed perfectly and made the difference in the outcome of the game. 

Another standout was Dacres Cogley again, truly showing that he will be the starter down the right hand side for the season. He was involved in all the attacking play down the right hand side, his link up play is very good and an underrated aspect of his game.


Obviously this cup isn't the most important competition but Evatt will want to win every game he can, especially against his former teams.

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