Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Stevenage - Full time match report

Josh Dacres-Cogley opened the scoring in the 66th minute – his first goal of the campaign – but Bolton had been wasteful in front of goal, particularly in the first half, and were made to pay for it when sub Jake Young levelled the scores before the end.

Players and their families took a short lap of appreciation after the final whistle to a stadium that had largely emptied – and the real work now begins for Steven Schumacher as he looks to create a team which can challenge effectively for promotion next term.

Wanderers made two changes to the side that drew at Peterborough United, bringing George Johnston back into defence after he had missed last weekend to be at the birth of his first child and Aaron Collins into attack, with Chris Forino and Josh Dacres-Cogley making way.

Only Shrewsbury and Crawley have done less than Bolton in the first half of games this season – and the Whites’ record now stands at just 16 goals scored. They have been in a winning position on only eight occasions, fewer than anyone else in the division.

Once again, the chances were there, but Wanderers’ wastefulness has been nothing short of staggering at times.

John McAtee started the trend, somehow putting a shot wide of an open goal after Taye Ashby-Hammond had parried Collins’ cross into his path.

Schon picked up the baton a couple of minutes later, played through on goal by Collins, he ran the ball too close to the Stevenage keeper and enabled him to block a shot on the edge of the penalty box.

And then top scorer Collins joined in, seemingly doing all the hard work after beating his man on the left side of the penalty box but unable to pick his spot from 10 yards.

The missed chances seemed to drain the confidence from Bolton, and the rest of the half was played rather nervously, with Stevenage starting to feel they could get a foothold.

Luke Southwood made a couple of routine saves from Jamie Reid and Louis Appere but the closest Stevenage got to an opener was entirely of Bolton’s making. Gethin Jones bumped into Sam inwood on the edge of the box and then played a risky ball to Jay Matete which invited pressure from Appere. Inwood’s attempted clearance then cannoned off the Stevenage man and inches wide of the empty goal.

Nothing but pride and eighth place in the table was riding on the outcome but nevertheless, the fans who had turned up on the final day were decidedly nonplussed, both teams disappearing back down the tunnel at half time to barely a ripple of applause.

Wanderers tried to up the tempo after the break and McAtee nearly produced a moment of magic with an ambitious lobbed effort from 45 yards which dropped just the wrong side of the post with the keeper beaten.

There was no real problem with the build-up play for the Whites, and another decent chance was created when McAtee and Randall worked the ball to Jones on the right and his pass skidded across the face of goal without a further touch.

The finishing touch, however, was as problematic as it has been for most of the season. Collins – with 19 goals to show for his efforts – was subbed on the hour having blazed another effort high and wide from the edge of the box, with youngster Daeshon Lawrence given a chance to impress.

Jones was also swapped with Dacres-Cogley, with a large number of fans in the ground standing and applauding to acknowledge the long-serving defender, who is out of contract this summer.

Within a few minutes, Dacres-Cogley had broken the deadlock. Combining with Randall after a quick corner he stole in on the right side of box and his powerful effort squirmed under Ashby-Hammond’s body to land just over the line.

Wanderers started to look uncomfortable at the back, however, and keeper Southwood lost his footing on a few occasions to cause flutters among the home supporters.

Stevenage striker Reid was a constant menace, the sort of powerful presence that Bolton could certainly use next season, in fact. But it was sub Jake Young who got the visitors level, lashing in from eight yards after Luther James-Wildin had headed a deep cross back across goal.

Schon had one effort blocked at the near post and sub David Abimbola headed narrowly over – but it was Stevenage who went closest to finding a deciding goal – Ellis Bates miscuing from close range and Dan Phillips firing another chance over from eight yards out after more good work on the right from Elliott List.