Bolton v Exeter…match thread

I certainly hope we aren’t rioch and that any Grecian’s venturing North go home empty handed. I’m just hoping the snow keeps off over the tops today and I’m wrapping up extra warm because it will be a cold one even with 20k in the UniBol. I’m not sure missing Jones is that big a hardship the way he’s been playing lately, but with Rico out too it will pull on our resources a bit. Who will play up top today? Will Evatt continue with Charles who just couldn’t hit a barn door at the moment? You’d think after getting two against Manure it would have improved his confidence but it didn’t look like it. Maybe we just have to accept that he’s not as good as we thought after all? Dapo has been good recently though and seems to have his swagger back so I’d expect him to score today. I still feel a lack of confidence I’m afraid so I’m going to be a “shitfan’ and predict a 1-2 loss to Exeter and a long, cold trip back home for me instead!! 🥴🤨

I've no confidence today either. Keep hearing how goalscorers cost loads of money, yet Exeter come here with two of the top scorers/assist in the country. Burton and Bristol Rovers have 2 of the top 3.

I missed the story of the saudi takeover down in Devon.

Our defence is too soft. George Johnson sums us up as a team, probably thinks he's a rolls Royce defender, plays on the deck, stays on his feet but put him up against a Sunday league striker and he wouldn't fancy it.

I've not rated Santos as highly, certainly as evatt, but do think having him there is a deterrent for the long ball direct managers and without him it looks like an open invite.

Aimson and GJ, despite my criticism, did end the season well in a 4. Perhaps with a weak back line our best form of defence should be attack and by playing a 4 we could release the extra player to keep the ball away from our goal.

Didn't realise it was family/bumper crowd day today. Must have missed that.

Hope so. For all the talk of "were still in the playoff spots" well Exeter are 13th and a win puts them 2 points behind us today.

Of course a win puts us 8 points ahead of them but shows how tight this league is. Taking only 12 points from 30 on offer shows what could have been, but we are pretty fortunate to have as many as 12.

I know he's our player and tries, and he's not to blame for everything so spirits are raised so much when I see the omission of Kachunga.

Weather should be better suited for the Lancashire team used to playing on winter hill than the Devonshire lot.

Parking the negativity, not moaning for now, and going 3-1 win. Although parking is probably the biggest topic for moaning these days. Ha.

Bloody hell

Where has this performance been all season

We could and should be 6-0 up

Dapo, Charles, Bradley and Morley are having a riot

COYWM

Yeah we didn't play that well 2nd half but we didn't need to. That's the benefits of getting a 2 goal cushion, something we haven't done enough for a team of our quality.

We were fantastic first half. After 5 mins I thought Exeter were a pretty good team and thought it may have been a difficult afternoon but the next 40 we showed our quality.

More direct. More purpose. Much more like it Ian.

It's odd but when Aimson plays it's like we realise we aren't that great and need to be on it. We just need to head the ball out, clear the lines, etc when Rico plays its almost like don't panic, we can still get the next ball, oh they scored.

Sure percentage wise we keep More clean sheets with Aimson in. (Based on no stats just my own hunch)

Really positive tonight. Thats what I want Ian, surely you can see that too now.

A good performance and a game of 2 halves.

First half, after 3 or 4 minutes sloppy minutes at the start, we were tremendous but carried no luck.

After 5 minutes, Charles had a header that beat the keeper and hit the far post and bounced back to the keeper.

This hitting the post, though, transformed us and Exeter, despite a lively start, were under the cosh.

Within 2 minutes, we scored when a brilliant break down the left led to Lee playing the ball across for Bradley to score.

Toal then headed just wide form a corner.

We were rampant now and a few minutes later Charles set up Bradley for an absolute sitter. On his own with an empty net to aim for but somehow he headed wide. How he missed, I don’t know.

We kept on pressing and more good work down the left resulted in the ball bouncing across to Charles who turned well and placed the ball in the corner.

Charles was not finished and he cut into the box on the left side and shot. His shot beat the keeper and hit the near post and again bounced to safety.

So 2-0 at half time and it could have been more.



Second half, the intensity dropped considerably and Exeter had most of the play but really did not test Trafford at all. Our defence, who I think have been shocking recently, stood up well and defended very well.



Overall, a good result. First half excellent, second half keeping what we have.

The manager afterwards referred to tiredness. We now have 10 days to get all tiredness out of ourselves and see if we can sort out Derby.



Well played.





Marks:-

Trafford - 7 Did what he had to do well except his kicking has gone to pot

Bradley - 8 Very good in the 1st half. Took his goal well. Missed an absolute sitter with his head.

Toal - 8 His best game so far.

Aimson - 7 Good also. Stuck to what he is good at – headed clearances and good tackles

Johnston - 7 Steady

Iredale - 6 Lost possession a few times but OK overall

Sheehan - 6 Struggled to get into the game

Morley - 7 Good with some excellent passing

Lee - 7 Class as usual

Afolayan - 8 Very good. Caused problems throughout for the Exeter defence

Charles - 9 For everyone who has slagged him off, he was top class today. Scored one, hit the post twice, set up Bradley for the miss of the season. Continually harassed the Exeter defence.

Williams - 6 Tidied up the midfield at a time when Exeter had dominant possession in the 2nd half

Dempsey - 6 Not too noticeable

Sadlier - 6 Again, he came on when Exeter had major possession and had little chance to shine

Beck - 6 Couple of runs

Kachunga