Central edged out by Bolton in Narrow Defeat

Bolton Lads & Girls Club completed the league double over Manchester Central on Saturday afternoon following a tight 1-0 win at Seashell’s Trust.

A momentary lapse in concentration cost Central dearly towards the end of the first half, which saw Bolton take the lead after their striker breached Central’s defence and squared to his partner who slammed the ball into the empty net.

It was an evenly fought contest overall, and the home side did put in a much-improved display in comparison to recent weeks, but Bolton remained resilient defensively and kept Central at bay making that their fourth consecutive win in Division One.

The result meant Central remain in their rut of bad form in Division One, now without a win in their last three fixtures. They still find themselves in eighth place, whilst the prospect of promotion seems highly unlikely at this stage.

For Bolton however the win saw them up to fourth, leapfrogging Avenue who dropped points at the weekend following a shock home defeat to Boothstown. Bolton now sit just two points behind Elton Vale in third place, albeit having played two games extra.

Central came into this one looking to break their run of two consecutive defeats in Division One, whilst looking to avenge their previous defeat to Bolton which they suffered a few weeks prior.

Boss Chris Tomkinson would have pleased to have Nell Noupoue, Sultan Kasali and Dennis Jerome back at his disposal, whilst regulars Luca Navarro, Fuad Kasali, Aria Asqari and Emmanuel Sholabi were all unavailable.

Captain Daniel Dolling was preferred as one of the central defenders alongside Jerome, whilst Kasali and Claudio Costa lined up as both full backs. Stalwart Daniel Whiting remained in between the sticks.

Tom Janney retained his place in the starting line-up in midfield alongside Kaine Martin, whilst the returning Noupoue completed the three. Tomkinson also opted for the physical Ruben Lawal up front in a front three with Junior Silva and Dennis Raposo.

It was a fairly even start between the sides, as they both looked to get a foot on the ball, Central were the first to have a meaningful attempt on goal. Lawal played a lovely reverse pass down the right-hand side for Silva to chase, who then whipped in a decent cross aiming for Raposo, whose header into the ground had a decent connection but no direction, allowing the keeper to make a comfortable save.

The away side however responded quickly. On the break Bolton broke with numbers and managed to carve out an opening down the right. The ball was squared to the onrushing forward, who looked to place his effort into the corner, but luckily for Central his effort drifted wide.

Bolton began to gather some momentum in the game, as their pressure forced Dolling into a mistake on the edge of his own box. The ball was shifted quickly over to the left side of the box, but the chance again was wasted, and the effort was blazed over.

However, Central were providing their own threat in the final third. The ball was moved well over to Noupoue who found himself in a good position in the box, but his curling strike was only ever drifting wide of the far post.

A tame Costa free kick and a first of three cards handed out in the game were the only action in a rather bleak 20-minute period in the half, where it seemed neither side could find the breakthrough. But in typical football fashion, a goal came when it was least expected.

Central lost their focus defensively as Bolton came forward. Their man was able to bust his way through several black and white shirts on the edge of the box, and square to his strike partner who could not miss the open net, giving the away side a crucial advantage so close to half time.

Another lapse in concentration almost cost Central again at the end of the half, as from a corner delivered from the left, a blue shirt rose highest with a free header, whose effort somehow was off target, sparing Central a two-goal deficit.

That brought the first period of action to a close, which saw an even contest with a Bolton goal that separated the two sides at the break.

For Central there were positives to take from the half, and Tomkinson would have been pleased with the improvement in intensity and possession, but his side were missing that cutting edge at the front end of the pitch, and he surely would have expressed the need for more quality in the final third during the interval.

Bolton once again provided a stiff test for Central, who were physical and were effective with their pressing. They were able to feed off Central mistakes, and perhaps could have had more than a goal at the break if they were more clinical in front of goal.

Once the second half got underway Central came out of the blocks quickly in search of an equaliser.

A headed clearance following a Central corner fell kindly to Janney whose attempted volley that bounced into the ground was goalward, but a wicked deflection crucially took the ball off course and over the bar.

The home side maintained their pressure in the opening ten minutes of the second half. A long throw from the right by Jerome was flicked on well by Lawal which fell to Silva in the box, who took a touch and struck an effort on goal that looked certain to go in, but a brilliant block by the Bolton keeper kept their lead intact.

A brief ten-minute period saw little action following a frantic start to the half, Tomkinson made three changes, seeing Janney, Lawal and Costa make way for Bamba Fall, Josh Grant and Kyle Odell. Bolton’s number 21 was their second player to also go in the book during this period.

An audacious effort by Raposo on the edge drifted wide of the far post but in a game that seemed to be drifting towards the final whistle, it exploded into life in the final five minutes.

A physical altercation saw Jerome sent off leaving Central with ten men for the remainder of the game, whilst Tomkinson made his instructions clear to be as aggressive as possible going forward by sending the majority of his players up the pitch.

The final moment of the game saw Central waste a huge chance to take a point from the game. From a corner keeper Whiting stormed into the box and won the initial header, knocking it down to captain Dolling who with his left, leaning back blazed a glorious chance from close range over the bar.

It was an agonising finish for Central, who could not get the telling goal to get themselves back on level terms.

Bolton managed to hang on in the end, without offering much going forward in the second half. It was a moment of persistence and power that made the difference, but

Central were left to rue the big chances they did miss in the game.

However, Central can now look to focus their attention to Friday, where they face Chadderton Reserves in the final of the Manchester Challenge Trophy.

Bolton Lads & Girls Club face a huge test next week in Division One, when they visit second placed Bolton Borough in a heavyweight clash.