Bolton 1-0 Wolverhampton

Three straight games without a goal for the Wanderers going into the match with Wolves. The prospect of four straight scoreless matches looming overhead as the team’s offense was misfiring on all cylinders.

Wednesday night welcomed Bolton new boy Daniel Sturridge as well as old favorite Lee Chung-Yong into the lineup. As Matilda had pointed out in her match preview, Wolves have taken only 4 of a possible 33 points on the road this season. This match should have been an easy one.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The boys made it hard on themselves. Owen Coyle should really make a point of teaching the lads how to trap and hold the ball. Pathetic stuff on that end. Bad giveaways all around and no creativity or danger in the final third. The match finally started to look lively when Chungy and Matt Taylor made way for Rodrigo and Daniel Sturridge. The two young guns added fresh legs and inspiration to the attack.

Still, it wasn’t enough. They could just not make that breakthrough. It was a Wolves mistake, and a bad one at that, that saw Bolton net the winner in the 93rd minute. Wolverhampton’s Ronald Zubar attempted a pass back to the goalkeeper but didn’t put nearly enough on it. Brilliantly, Daniel Sturridge made a run and picked it off before going one-on-one with the keeper, Hennessey, and slotting it home low at the near post.

Three points for the Whites on what was, frankly, a miserable game to watch. Still, three very important points that we’ll gladly take. Back up to 8th place. It just feels so right this season.