Central lose out to Bolton in thriller at Seashell

Manchester Central suffered a dramatic 4-2 defeat to long-time rivals Bolton United in an action-packed afternoon at Seashell Trust.

The hosts had come from behind in the first period following a sharp start from Bolton that saw Uwais Patel round Lyell Tweed and slot home. Thi-Reece Lenihan had an eventful afternoon but began it in fine fashion by rifling Central level just minutes after going behind.

Sharif Jallow needed no second invitation to tap home to put the hosts in front just shy of the half hour mark that saw Central in control when the half-time whistle blew, though Tweed in the Central goal had to produce a terrific stop to deny a controversially given spot kick.

It was an ironically a slow start to the final 45, though Bilal Ahmed was sure to liven things up by netting his first of the afternoon on the hour. Bolton’s number nine was a real problem for Central to deal with all afternoon, but the forward was not done there.

Lenihan’s minutes were cut short meanwhile after visible frustration and apparent dissent was enough for the referee to ultimately dismiss the midfielder, in a moment that completely swung the momentum in Bolton’s favour.

Central’s afternoon from there on in faded, whilst Ahmed was still in the mood for goals. His sharp performance was joined by two more efforts that found the net, concluding a terrific hat-trick and a fine display that decided where the points ended up.

Though several factors swayed and swung the outcome of the fixture, it must be said Central’s lack of conviction in front of goal kept the game well within Bolton’s reach for the 32 minutes that the hosts were ahead.

A swift turnaround by Chris Tomkinson’s men was welcomed during a relatively balanced opening half of action, in which Bolton started quickly, though Central had the better of the opportunities.

Even before the scoring began, Paul Sholabi had a huge chance to score on his return to the starting 11, leaping onto Daniel Dolling’s flick on from a corner though the centre half could only head over from close range.

A whirlwind 15 minutes where the game saw the net bulge three times sparked Central to search for a cushion to head into the interval with. Both Lenihan and Junior Silva had efforts thwarted by the man guarding Bolton’s net, though the latter would have been most disappointed to not finish inside the six-yard box after latching onto Lamin Jammeh’s square pass.

Even after the visitors had equalised Central remained dangerous. Claudio Costa should have made an immediate impact off the bench but volleyed his effort past the upright after he found himself in a glorious position inside the box.

It in some sense had aspects that had halted Central all season thus far. The opportunity was present and there for Tomkinson’s men to capitalise on, but moments in games have cost Central where it has mattered most.

The Central boss meanwhile will be scratching his head as to what he needs to do to get his side firing. He certainly has a talented group at his disposal, but only he will know what is lacking in what has been a difficult campaign after 11 games played.

Lenihan's dismissal - turning point?

Central’s leading marksman so far this campaign once again added to his total, producing a rocket that flew into the top corner to level the score, but it turned out another aspect of his game proved critical in the end.

His aggressive, almost streetwise approach to his performances have made him such a notable addition to Central’s squad. Ever since Lenihan joined the club at the back end of last season, he has been a box office attraction to say the least.

It must be said however the midfielder's dismissal on Saturday was significant and ultimately saw Central’s control and comfort diminish in the game. For once Lenihan was influential for the wrong reasons, whilst Tomkinson will have to manage without his talisman for the next two outings.

Akbar Khoshab meanwhile continued his impressive start to life in a Central shirt which could ease the loss of Lenihan, though it will be fascinating to see how Tomkinson is set to structure his side without the midfielder.

Perhaps the pure shock and disruption to the game caught the hosts off guard, it left Central with little time to adjust and set up shop. Bolton though did not waste much time, with it taking mere minutes for Ahmed to loop home his second and the visitors’ third.

Certainly crucial, but there were brief moments where Central as a team did not react accordingly to the state of the game and though significant, Lenihan’s dismissal alone cannot be afforded the blame of the outcome that transpired over the final period of play.

What next for Central?

Central now face four fixtures to round off 2023 which are split home and away equally. The club meanwhile are set to see a change in venue for home fixtures to the Manchester Openshaw College Campus which will host its first Division One fixture against East Manchester this weekend.

Tomkinson will be desperate to see improvements from his side ahead of the winter break, with inconsistency ruling Central’s season thus far, whilst East Manchester pose yet another test against a side who are similarly struggling.

A strong start on new turf would be ideal for this Central side who have not been a dominant outfit at home like we have seen in recent seasons, whilst it could present a fresh start for a side who are yet to get going in 23/24.

This period ultimately will once again provide a test of strength and character for this Central group, who must look to prove themselves in a competitive league. The remainder of this period could prove critical, with some huge contests on the horizon, it could either see this Central side show real personality or see them continue a disappointing season.