BOLTON v HULL... match thread

Thoroughly deserved victory today. I felt we were better than Hull all over the park, but especially in our desire and determination. And, love him or hate him, that has to be credit to Parky. Madine’s free kick was sublime, but it was a pity he couldn’t take advantage of the easier chance at the death. Would have saved me almost collapsing when Hull shot narrowly wide just after. Oddly, I think the two enforced subs (Henry and Pratley) changed the game, which should give Parky pause for thought about our line up when at home. More creativity in the centre yielded much benefit as we always posed a threat to Hull. Cullen was again very good and Morais excellent in a more central role. I also though Vela played much better when a little deeper and the back five, especially Burke and Beevers were superb. Still felt we were playing with ten men as I really cannot see Buckley as anything other than someone who over runs the ball , or loses it softly. He needs to shape up, or ship out for me.

A great day and the end of a wonderful festive period for BWFC!

A really good battling performance, and as paulm pointed out a really easy chance missed late on by our free kick expert, but a deserved victory over the 90 plus minutes. To overcome 2 injuries early on speaks well of the players' and managements response, and whilst Chiphillspud is right in saying it would be silly to get carried away there were plenty of positives to take from today that augur well for the future...today's level of commitment, endeavour and, at times, genuine quality, could well be sufficient to achieve safety if replicated with some consistency. There should be more to come from one or two players, Buckley did indeed struggle today, shame he was brought down when he did manage to show good control and skill, but whatever luck the Whites had today was thoroughly justified.

The result was all important to us today.

We just about deserved it but, as often when we are leading at home at half time, we just sat back and invited Hull to attack us. They could have scored a couple but we could also playing on the break. I don’t understand or accept that dropping back once we are winning is a good tactic. It has cost us twice already this season and given us too many scary moments when we need to control games.

Anyway, moan over – those 3 points are significant as we are out of the bottom 3 for at least 2 weeks now.

The manager reverted to his usual formation, leaving out those who had played successfully at Sheffield. I don’t quite get that as, Yes Cullen Le Fondre, Morais had played their first matches for ages at Sheffield and could be tired but changing a winning team??

The game started quite pedestrian. Moves were slow – from both sides – and little was created early on. Hull had more of the ball but that’s norm for the course with us.

We took the lead when an incisive move finished with Buckley tripped 20 yards out. After his previous attempts in other games, I was screaming for Madine not to take the free kick but, amazingly, he scored with a glorious shot.

Maybe I doze off but I can’t remember much more of the first half. Hull had a clear header from a corner and a few scrambles and we did OK in that we did attack. So half time came and we were deservedly ahead.

What is said in the dressing room at half time, I don’t know but, yet again, we seem to want to protect a lead and nothing else. Hull had all the ball. They were able to get to 30 yards from our goal with just no challenge but were quite toothless after that. A couple of balls squirted across the front of goal and we just hung on and hung on.

We had reached the stage were when we got the ball in defence we just hit it as far forward as possible – always to a Hull man – and the pressure continued.

We had the occasional flurry upfield but it was limited and our passing was, as usual, dreadful until the last minute when Ameobi and Le Fondre played “holdball” up in the corner and suddenly Le Fondre got free to put a lovely centre onto Madine’s head only for him to head wide. Seemed to be an easy chance to score.

Somehow all Hull’s possession led to nothing other than scrambles and a shot in the last seconds that flashed just wide.

Not a great performance at all but a great result.

Alnwick - 7 Did all that was asked of him. No mistakes.

Little - 6 We did not get much of his usual link up play with Ameobi and made a mad panic clearance at the end.

Burke - 7 Very steady. Good game. Do we keep him or send him back to West Ham now?

Beevers - 6 Steady.

Robinson - 5 His ball control was shocking and scary.

Henry -
Pratley - 6 Did all right until injured.

Ameobi - 6 Just missing that extra bit of spark.

Buckley - 3 Awful. His first 3 touches were abysmal and it didn’t improve much.

Vela - 5 Still not dominating. Did better when he was forced to drop back after the injuries.

Madine - 8 Probably his best match of the season but missed a sitter in the last minute.

Morais - 6 Did OK playing in the no 10 role.

Cullen - 7 His best match for us. Same question as Burke - do we keep him or send him back to West Ham now?

An enjoyable Burnden style pitched battle in atrocious conditions. I thought PP was wise not to try a back three again given what happened at their ground. I had no quibble with the selection really save for a concern that four games in nine days might be a step too far for Henry and so it proved as he limped off very early to be followed by Pratley. But not before Madine crashed an amazing Brazilian style free kick rocket into the net. Where did that come from?

Cullen and before long Vela took over the defensive midfield duties and I thought did well. Cullen is less good position ally than Henry but compensated with speed and alacrity

in that first half we did ok but Robinson and especially Buckley kept miscontrolling or mispassing the ball and Ameobi didn't get going but for all that we seemed on top of them not least because Beevers, Little and the excellent Burke dominated their attack who were restricted to a couple of half hit shots

In the second half against the wind we struggled to get possession and even more to retain it. However Ameobi got going and both he and Madine reinforced the defence when necessary. Hull all but equalised after a quick counter attack but Alnwick blocked the shot. Sen Larssen came on and they swept passes all around us but again got nowhere as we were tenacious in pursuit. The pressure ratcheted up further and they went very close on the far post and forced a number of corners. All of this said apart from hitting a post( fabulous off-putting Little last ditch block attempt for me saved the day) early in the half they were second best most of the time.

We too had breakaway. A glancing Morais header from a Vela cross was a good effort and late on Madine headed wide from a Le Fondre cross. I think we saw the game out quite well really and deserved to win

Madine was a tower of strength in this game and his goal- wow but I think Burke was MoM -good selection by PP

Alnwick 8 Little 8 Burke 9 Beevers 7 Robinson 6. Henry/ Pratley N/A Cullen 6 Vela 7 Ameobi 6 Morais 6 Madine 8 Buckley 3

So Madine is practising free kicks after us all groaning about the previous two in the last home game!!  Now he can concentrate on practising to head the ball like a proper forward. (Just watched the replay a couple of times and it was way worse than I first thought).  That certain goal would have given us the buffer that we never seem to have at the end of these fraught chaotic games.  He was great in defence and has a full back's job waiting for him in later years.

Our skill levels are not improving much.  Yet again the opposing team outpassed us easily and showed us up and how many times did we lose the ball??  Hull must be kicking themselves that their strikers were rubbish but what a stop by Little and the courageous save by Alnwick when he dived at the feet of Bowen just as he was about to shoot.  Terrific stuff.

However our tenacity and hunger to win is improving game by game.  A great team performance in the never say die department.  COYFWM

From BBC:

Possession
Home34%
Away66%

Shots
Home14
Away14

Shots on Target
Home3
Away5

Corners
Home5
Away9

Fouls
Home9
Away10