U23 Professional Development League
Team: Dieng, Kakay, Williams, Goss, Paul, Hill, Petrasso, Borysiuk, Oteh, Chair, Grego-Cox
Subs: Herdman, Hamalainen, Tilt, Rowe
The big pre-match news was the confirmation that Clint Hill was indeed in the starting line-up! The visitors also included an over-age player, 35-year-old former Brazilian international Julio Baptista.
Bolton could well have taken the lead within the first few minutes, when Ryan White took advantage of a loose ball but put the ball wide of the post.
The R’s then got into their stride with captain, Reece Grego-Cox, heading over the bar following a great ball over from Michael Petrasso.
Then an excellent corner taken by Sean Goss resulted in Jake Turner going down abruptly to his left to make the save.
Twelve minutes or so in, Clint Hill made a superb tackle in the box, putting the ball out for a corner to deny the visitors a goalscoring opportunity.
Apart from being the team’s current chief dead-ball taker, Sean Goss was also spraying around some wonderful passes far and wide.
QPR almost took the lead after a deflected shot was tipped behind following a corner to the near post.
The Whites went close to getting their noses in front, when firstly, an overhead kick went out for a corner, which then resulted in a powerful shot being blazed just over the crossbar.
At the other end, a Rangers counter-attack through the centre from midfield prompted the Bolton custodian to charge forward and the chasing defender just managed to hook the ball away, which ended up just evading the upright.
Bolton had enjoyed a productive 15-minute spell, but it has to be said that neither side had created many decent chances.
After 38 minutes, Aramide Oteh, who had been having a quiet game thus far, cut in from the left flank whilst having his shirt pulled. He then forced a very good save from Jake Turner at the far post.
Osman Kakay was on hand to make a decisive block on the line, which then went out for a corner. A fairly even half finished goal-less.
Paul Hall brought on Niko Hamalainen for the re-start, at the expense of Jack Williams, who I’d thought was still on loan at Wycombe?
Ariel Borysiuk’s dipping 20-yard effort just evaded the crossbar. On 55 minutes, Rangers took the lead after Sean Goss’s corner was flicked on by Petrasso, and Oteh was well placed to get on the end of it.
The players celebrations were so muted I thought initially that the goal had been ruled out?
Clint Hill was replaced by Chay Tilt around the hour mark. He’d had a superb game, with his blocks, tackles and winning pretty much every header. It was great to see him back.
After 68 minutes, the final change was made with Danny Rowe coming on for Ilias Chair, and two minutes later he grabbed himself a goal.
Getting into space in a good position in front of goal, after receiving a through ball from Chay Tilt, he picked his spot to put the R’s two-up.
A third followed on 75 minutes, when Chay Tilt knocked in a low cross from the left-wing.
Three minutes later, Aramide Oteh scored his second of the afternoon when he blasted the ball in the net after Reece Grego-Cox had set him up.
From a breakaway just a minute or so later, Chay Tilt spun round in the box and lashed the ball wide of the keeper.
Ian Holloway had made his way over towards the bench at half-time, but despite his brief involvement in the proceedings, there was no repeat of his previous antics.
Steve Russell
Well done the R’s U23 team.
Right now is certainly not a good time to be a Bolton Wanderers supporter.