Second-half goals from Kieran Lee and Dapo Afolayan saw new manager Kieran McKenna to his first defeat as Blues boss as Town were defeated 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers. The Blues were on top for long spells, but without creating many clear-cut chances before Lee rebounded the Trotters’ opener on 74 and sub Afolayan profited from a George Edmundson error with nine minutes left on the clock.

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 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, 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.

Four minutes after the restart, the Blues weren’t too far away from going in front. Bonne picked up a poor Bolton pass midway inside the home side’s half and fed Aluko to his right. The Nigerian international brought it inside and after it had taken a touch off a defender, curled a shot not too far past Trafford’s right post.

Aluko threatened again in the 52nd minute when Penney cut in from the left and found him not far outside the area but the forward’s shot was blocked.

From the resultant corner, Bonne turned the ball on at the near post and it was diverted over by Edmundson, according to the referee, although Town appealed for a corner.

The Blues had regained much of their earlier composure and were again in control and seeing most of the ball.

On 58 Norwood went to ground having taken a blow to the head in a collision with Jones, who also subsequently took to the turf. An angry Norwood claimed he had been caught with an elbow and eventually talked his way into referee Madley’s book.

Bolton sent a couple of potentially dangerous balls into the Blues’ box which came to nothing but Town were beginning to dominate the ball, playing more patiently than they had in the second half of the first period. A Penney cross led to the first of three corners, which Wanderers just about defended.

Town made a double change in the 70th minute with Kane Vincent-Young replacing Penney and Celina Norwood. Bolton swapped Charles for Afolayan. Three minutes later, Burns was booked for kicking the ball away after being flagged offside.

In the 74th minute the Trotters went in front. The home side patiently moved the ball around on the edge of the box before Morley was in a position to shoot. Walton saved his strike but Lee was on hand to tap in from close range, his fourth goal against Town having scored three during his time with Sheffield Wednesday.

Town, and in particular Donacien, claimed the former Owl had done so from an offside position but video evidence suggested otherwise.

The Blues, who had conceded for the first time under new boss McKenna, went looking for a leveller. Celina saw a cross-shot from a very tight angle deflected behind, then an Evans cross following a short corner on the right found Woolfenden but the centre-half’s header flew straight at Trafford.

Town continued to push for the leveller, Bonne looping a header over from an Evans cross in the wake of another corner before Trotters skipper Ricardo Santos was booked for a foul in the Blues top scorer.

But it was Bolton who scored the game’s second goal in the 81st minute and in calamitous circumstances for Town. A long ball was played forward for Afolayan, which was intercepted by Edmundson with the Wanderers sub behind him in an offside position.

"The Blues centre-half was under no pressure and played the ball back towards Walton having not spotted Afolayan, who gratefully stroked home his third goal of the season against Town. Woolfenden protested to first the linesman and then referee that Afolayan had been offside from the initial pass but to no avail.

Aluko was swapped for Conor Chaplin in the 84th minute as Town looked to get back into a game which looking lost.

Celina cut in from the left and saw a shot blocked, then on 88 Morsy found space to hit a strike from the edge of the box which also found a determined Bolton defender in its way. In the final minute, an Evans effort from distance found Chaplin on the edge of the six-yard box but in an offside position.

Edmundson stooped to head wide in the final minute of injury time but moments later the referee’s whistle signalled an end to new boss McKenna’s 100 per cent start to his time at Town and also Bolton’s five-game losing run.

The Blues had been on top and well in control for spells in both halves but without creating the openings which saw them to last week’s comfortable win at Gillingham. In the second half the Blues spent long periods on the ball without threatening. Bolton had looked the more dangerous side in and around the penalty area.

The result sees Town slip a place to 11th, but still eight points off the play-offs, ahead of next week’s home game against Accrington Stanley.

Bolton: Trafford, Jones (Aimson 90), John, Williams, Santos (c), Johnston, Charles (Afolayan 70), Bakayoko (Delfouneso 90), Fossey, Morley, Lee. Unused: Dixon, Thomason, Baptiste, Gordon.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Evans, Morsy (c), Penney (Vincent-Young 70), Aluko (Chaplin 84), Norwood (Celina 70), Bonne. Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Carroll, Chaplin, Pigott. Referee: Bobby Madley (West Yorkshire).

Photo: Pagepix

inghamspur added 17:44 - Jan 15 The inconsistency continues. In the last chance saloon but I think the shutters have now come down on the bar.
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fizzyblue added 17:49 - Jan 15 Since the Wigan Game we have played relatively well and been really pleasing on the eye with the last two against wycombe and Gilliamgham being the pick of the bunch, so I was kind of expecting a drop in performance today. Whilst watching the game it was obvious some of our more consistent performers such as Edmundson and Donacian were having off games and then you have Evans and penny who both had poor games. So overall an under par performance and we couldn't match the intensity and energy that we have recently shown. I thought we looked a little lethargic, especially in the middle, dwelled on the balls to long and made a few basic errors. Bolton on the other hand I thought played well and always looked to play a positive and penetrative pass, took their chances and deserved to win. Not the end of the world by any means…. Just frustrating as we couldn't match the quality of our recent form

3

RobsonWark added 17:50 - Jan 15 As much I thought we could win this game after last weekends performance we all know that even the greatest teams in the world never win week after week after week. I still believe Kieran McKenna is the right man to get us promoted - if not this year he will next year. The guy has only been here 4 weeks. Let him bring his own players in and build the team that will get us promoted. I have never felt so good about my club Ipswich Town since the Sir Bobby Robson days.

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blues1 added 17:50 - Jan 15 Of course it's disappointing, and indeed annoying to have lost today. But the typical overreaction of some on here is frankly pathetic. There was always gonna be bumps along the way, and today is one of those. And actually, this could be a good thing in the long run, as Mckenna will have probably learned far more about the squad today, then in his previous 2 matches in charge. Some fans need to learn not to be so optimistic one week when we win, and totally critical the next, if we lose. Think most of us didn't believe he was suddenly gonna take us on a non stop track to the playoffs this season. Was always a big ask. He can use the rest of this season to find out what he needs to do, to get us where we want to be. Unlike when under Evans ownership, getting up this season isn't the be all and end all, particularly with a ew manager only just installed. Let's be patient, and realise it won't all be plain sailing. Totally understand fans being frustrated but let's not immediately go back to the negativity of the past few months, in particular. The most frustrating thing about losing today tho, is that other results went our way.

15

midastouch added 18:01 - Jan 15 We just don't seem very likely of getting on the sort of run needed to get into the play offs. We've been very hit and miss all season. We're fast running out of road this season meaning we can't afford many more breakdowns or unscheduled pitstops! I'm resigned to another season in League One already. We still have an outside chance of making the play offs but for every slip up like today the chances become slimmer and slimmer. I was hopeful today but that hope ultimately proved hopeless! A minimum of 9 points needed from the next 4 games I expect. Not an easy ask but if we cough and splutter our way through the next few games then this season is almost certainly going to end up as burnt toast!

4

RobsonWark added 18:12 - Jan 15 I don't know what Edmundson was doing for the second goal. The way he has been playing with confidence lately I would have thought he would have turned right with the ball and carried it up field.
1

Drifter3012 added 18:16 - Jan 15 I agree with many on here that say the boss probably learnt a lot about his first choice 11 today. The reality is that footballers have "off" days. Our squad do tend to have those too regularly but that is what the manager needs to see. Norwood & Bonne have been on fire but today they just didn't really get going. However I remember matches when Mariner and Brazil had those matches too. They will come good and I expect we will see a better performance next week. In the meantime McKenna has another week working with the squad and possibly strengthening it too. With teams like Plymouth, Portsmouth & even Sunderland struggling to get consistent results I am not writing off 6th place yet.

6

Rimsy added 18:18 - Jan 15 We were in good positions around their box several times, but no one was willing to get the ball in there. Don't know if it's lack of confidence or fear of cocking up, but we passed up multiple opportunities to put them under pressure. No wonder Bonne is struggling with nothing to latch onto. In
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Orraman added 18:20 - Jan 15 For the fourth time this season, a truly outstanding display has been followed by a truly lacklustre display. Oh for some consistency. However I am still confident of a run to the playoffs. We have only just entered the second half of the season and if KMcK can find that consistency it is not inconceivable. My glass will be half full until mathematically impossible
2

ringwoodblue added 18:28 - Jan 15 We've been here before many times. The balloon of optimism gets burst very quickly. The difference this time is that I believe the right manager is in charge and he will learn from our mistakes rather than just keep making them again and again. Playoffs still possible but probably unrealistic this season. This is a long-term project so we have to remain patient, keep the faith and keep drowning our sorrows when days like today happen.

5

johnwarksshorts added 18:28 - Jan 15 Just a blip I hope. 2 errors cost us. Home game next, let's get PR rocking. COYB.
2

bayleycr added 18:37 - Jan 15 I was able to watch the game today and after a positive start a pattern developed that saw us have a lot of possession but little/no penetration. E.g. As soon as Penney failed to beat their wing back, he only really passed backwards for the rest of the game. He wasn't alone in not winning 1:1 battles - e.g. neither Bonne or Norwood were able to win balls in the air or hold the ball up and bring the likes of Aluko into play. I'm not sure Burns was able to beat his wing back either now I come to think about it. I don't think the quality of our players has changed, but the opposition does and we were nullified today. The team battled, fought and both Bolton goals were quite fortunate (clearly the second was a howler for us). But we didn't really look like scoring today either and Bolton didn't make the mistakes we did, hence the result. Whilst we have good players for this league I think we are still missing something in terms of quality on the pitch. Hopefully Celina, KVY at left wing back and Chaplin can bring that. Squad changes wise, a left-wing back who can terrorise the opposition would be a positive move. I also think we need something different in central midfield to partner Morsey.

4

Eeyore added 18:44 - Jan 15 Started well then seemed to lose confidence. Wes Burns just never got going after getting out-paced early on. Too many times the centre halves/ Evans were slow to get ball to wing-backs. Evans playing too deep. Why does he need to come back and pick the ball up from the centre halves? The one time Edmonson charged at them it caused panic in Bolton defence. So do this more! McKenna is not a motivator. He stands silently watching. That's fine if we have a captain who motivates, but no one on the pitch seems to get the team going! When it comes to attacking in the final third, we seem to be hesitant, and players are not making runs. There didn't seem to be a plan. No nice patterns. No understanding between players. They are all content to pass sideways and let someone else think of something. For most of the second half there were quite a few players hiding and not finding space. Bonne had an awful game. Bolton couldn't believe how easy it was to deal with him and Norwood. No threat at all. Pigott should have replaced Bonne. Aluco was our best player according the the Bolton fans and I had to agree.

1

brendenward35 added 19:10 - Jan 15 Bolton came with a plan knew who to take out of the game and it worked. We need to learn to bring other players into the game to make a difference. I think Bolton had a few new players in there too don't be surprised if McKenna doesn't have a couple of players in mind. Ship out a few players as well at the same time get the wages down.
0

blueboy1981 added 19:14 - Jan 15 The way to stop a team playing to their strengths is simple - close them down …. !!! Bolton did their homework, and did just that today. We are a Club that have had that as a long term Achilles Heal - and we suffer from it. We need to win such games as these - and never looked liked winning this one.
1

billlm added 19:27 - Jan 15 Just wasnt our day, final ball second half was poor, enough half chances, better balls in they become chances,threw that one away,
0

Pabloisgod84 added 20:02 - Jan 15 A lot of our deluded fans needed this reality check, a lot of wallys getting excited after beating an awful gills side. Bolton aren't even that good . We just were poor both ends of the pitch. Matt Penney is woeful sadly we need someone on left . Could also do with a scoring central midfielder . Both our boys in there offer nothing in attack . Just not that good are we really

2

shakytown added 20:17 - Jan 15 Too many of these players get a bit arrogant and just seem to think they just have to turn up to win. No matter who you are or who you are playing the basics still have to be done well and this team just does not do them often enough. The commitment needed to be a good TEAM can only come from ALL the players together EVERY game. Until this happens we will not really progress.

1

Ebantiass added 20:20 - Jan 15 Talk about an overreaction, yes we were not as good as Gillingham but we were not rubbish. individual errors and lack of bite in the final third is what cost us. Bolton were not brilliant today they just worked harder the the Gills and got the rub of the green. We played some really good stuff keeping the ball in the middle of the park but still looking dodgy at the back at times. Really wish Boone was back to his old self,looking pretty knackered without really threatening their goal. Anyway we dust ourselves off and go again. Please forget the top two we might just sneak into the play offs at best.

0

Taricco_Fan added 20:39 - Jan 15 As disappointing a result as this is - particularly the nature of the goals - I feel like McKenna will learn more from this 90 minutes than his previous two games and all the time on the training pitch. Fans got a bit carried away with last week's display against a very poor side. Likewise, we shouldn't get too downbeat about a result like this against a decent Bolton side that should be higher up the league. We move on...

2

Taricco_Fan added 20:39 - Jan 15 As disappointing a result as this is - particularly the nature of the goals - I feel like McKenna will learn more from this 90 minutes than his previous two games and all the time on the training pitch. Fans got a bit carried away with last week's display against a very poor side. Likewise, we shouldn't get too downbeat about a result like this against a decent Bolton side that should be higher up the league. We move on...

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FramlinghamBlue added 20:41 - Jan 15 Penney….
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blueboy1981 added 21:19 - Jan 15 My guess is that McKenna will realise he hasn't quite got what he had hoped. He is right in saying there is much work to do. I hope the Owners back him, because turds can't be polished and if they don't step up soon - next season will soon be beckoning once again.
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Linkboy13 added 21:36 - Jan 15 Mathamatically still possible to reach the play offs, but this squad is just not capable of putting a winning run together. McKenna has proved he has the technical nouse to set up the team. Now it depends if he has the ability to attract the three or four players required to turn us into a real force next season.
1

ricardo55555 added 21:42 - Jan 15 I thought there was some positives. We dominated the last 15 minutes and produced several half chances. Substitutes Kane and Celina looked sharp. We had 14 shots to their 8. Bolton produced very little in the second half, except their incisive goal. I'm not gloomy, I was entertained, as most of the action in the second half was at our supporters end, and they worked their socks off even though they were two down.think on balance we deserved at least a draw. I think Norwood is a bit out of his depth . I am actually encouraged by our performance particularly when we were 2-0. down. We gave the players and manager a good reception at the end. Positives to build on.

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