Central Travel to Face Old Foes Bolton United

Images From: Manchester Central Flikr, Credits: Rebecca Photography

Manchester Central travel to St John's Park on Saturday afternoon to face 10th-placed Bolton United in the Manchester Football League Division One. Twelve points separated Tomkinson's side from the 2021/22 Division Two champions, with the home side taking all six points from last season's fixtures.

Central, whose 1-1 draw with Tintwistle Athletic last weekend saw the 6th-placed side win their first point in 42 days, travel to St John's Park this weekend to face Bolton United.

Images From: Manchester Central Flikr, Credits: Rebecca Photography

United won both games over Tomkinson's side in 2021/22, via 4-2 and 3-2 scorelines, as they stormed to the Division Two title. However, the Bolton-based side has seen a slower start to their first Division One season as they currently sit in 10th place after 11 games.

However, that is not to say that the home side has not been competitive, as they have won four games and drawn one, after having faced four of the league's top-five sides. The fixtures so far have seen Bolton United beat local rivals Bolton Lads and Girls Club 4-2 at home, but also lose to Avro twice - conceding three goals on both occasions - as well as see heavy 4-2 and 6-1 losses to Govan and UoM and Bolton Borough.

Images From: Manchester Central Flikr, Credits: Rebecca Photography

When the two sides faced one another in early September, Manchester Central came away with their fourth win of the season, beating United 2-1 at Seashell Trust with two goals from Fuad Kasali.

Central conceded to Ashley Carter in the previous fixture, who has already equalled his goalscoring total from the 2021/22 season as he currently sits as Bolton United's top scorer with 10 goals in 11 appearances. That said, he is not the opposition's only attacking threat, with teammate Abdulah Sakeel having netted 7 goals in 12 games so far.

Images From: Manchester Central Flikr, Credits: Rebecca Photography

With two players having contributed half of Bolton United's 34 goals this season, Tomkinson's game plan will surely be to stifle the host's attack, whilst exploiting the defence that has conceded 35 goals in 12 games across all competitions this season - just 5 fewer than the conceded in the entirety of the last campaign.

With the departure Fuad Kasali, which was announced earlier this week, Central now miss their attacking focal point. This may pose a challenge for Central, but this is one which both Tomkinson and his side are prepared for, with various players having chipped in towards the 18 non-Kasali goals scored this season.