Town’s game at Bolton Wanderers remains 0-0 at half-time.
Town boss Kieran McKenna named an unchanged side with Christian Walton, perhaps playing his last game for the club with parent club Brighton having taken up the option to recall him with seven days’ notice earlier in the week with discussions regarding a permanent switch ongoing, continuing in goal.
The back three was again, from the right, Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden and Edmundson with the wing-backs Wes Burns and Matt Penney.
In central midfield, skipper Samy Morsy was partnered by Lee Evans with Sone Aluko behind front pair James Norwood and top scorer Macauley Bonne, whose presence at Town for the remainder of the season was confirmed last night.
Forward Bersant Celina returned to the bench following his hamstring injury with Kayden Jackson dropping out of the 18.
For Bolton, keeper James Trafford and midfielder Aaron Morley were handed their debuts having signed in the week, while Gethin Jones was back in the XI and Will Aimson and Dapo Afolayan, who scored twice against the Blues in the Trotters’ 5-2 victory at Portman Road earlier in the season, dropped to the bench.
After the teams, with the exception of Aluko, had taken a knee, the Blues started positively, as they did at Gillingham last week, captain Morsy seeing an early cross blocked.
Town were giving the home side, including 19-year-old debutant keeper Trafford, who is on loan from Manchester City, no time on the ball as they tried to play it out from their penalty box.
Bolton began to see more of the ball as the game passed the 10-minute mark but without threatening, although they were twice flagged offside with players behind the Blues’ backline, while Town continued to play the more confident and composed football. On 13 MJ Williams was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Norwood.
As the quarter-hour approached, a neat spell of passing on the left led to Morsy teeing-up Aluko on the edge of the box, the forward hitting a shot which Trafford saved down to his left. The loose ball fell to Bonne but at a tight angle. The ball eventually reached Evans on the edge of the box but the Welshman’s shot was blocked.
Bolton will feel they should have scored with their first serious attack in the 19th minute. Following a free-kick which was taken short on the right, Kieran Lee crossed and Dion Charles headed wide at the near post when the striker, a recent signing from Accrington, will feel he should have hit the target.
Wanderers threatened again on 24 when a Morley corner from the right was headed over at the far post by George Johnston.
Town continued to see most of the ball but with Bolton also now having spells in possession. Just before the half hour, Burns cut out a loose Trotters pass on the Blues’ right and brought the ball forward and cut inside to Evans, who hit a shot from the edge of the area which Trafford bundled behind at his left post.
Bolton went very close to breaking the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Charles was played in in space on the left by Declan John and hit a shot across Walton which the keeper superbly tipped past his left post.
A minute later, Edmundson headed back towards his keeper from the edge of the box to the Town left failing to spot Lee, who was momentarily in on goal until Woolfenden brilliantly got back to dispossess him. Soon after, Edmundson was forced to make an interception with Bolton again in a threatening position.
Town had got a little sloppy with Wanderers becoming more confident on the ball and giving the Blues’ backline one or two problems.
On 40 Walton inadvertently slid out of his area to the right with the ball in his hands as he claimed a pass down the right. While the Bolton fans called for an unlikely red card, the Town keeper was shown a yellow.
The resultant free-kick appeared to take a nick on the way through before being headed behind.
There was another scare for the Blues in the 43rd minute when John crossed from the left and Amadou Bakayoko was just unable to reach the ball at the far post.
Jones blazed over following a late corner before referee Bobby Madley brought the half to an end.
Town had started very positively and in control playing the slick, fast-paced football which saw them to last week’s 4-0 win at Gillingham, although without creating a clear-cut opportunity to take the lead.
Their display became sloppier midway through the period, however, and Bolton came into it more and more and had the half’s best chances with Walton making the period’s most significant save from Charles.
Bolton: Trafford, Jones, John, Williams, Santos (c), Johnston, Charles, Bakayoko, Fossey, Morley, Lee. Subs: Dixon, Delfouneso, Aimson, Afolayan, Thomason, Baptiste, Gordon.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Evans, Morsy (c), Penney, Aluko, Norwood, Bonne. Subs: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Burgess, Carroll, Celina, Chaplin, Pigott. Referee: Bobby Madley (West Yorkshire).