Report: FC Helsingor 1-2 Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers rounded off their week-long pre-season training camp in Scandinavia with a 2-1 victory at FC Helsingor on Saturday afternoon.

Gary Madine and Jamie Proctor were the men on target for the Trotters, with the winning goal coming late on in front of a crowd of 357 at Helsingor Stadion.

Wanderers started the game brightly and were a goal up inside the opening five minutes.

Josh Vela nicked the ball high up the field from a Helsingor midfielder, before rolling a short pass into the feet of Madine. He took a touch to set himself, before letting fly from all of 25 yards with a swerving shot that was in the net before the goalkeeper moved.

Bolton seemingly grew in confidence, with inverted wingers Kaiyne Woolery and Tom Walker looking lively. On one occasion, Woolery knocked the ball beyond the Helsingor full back before firing a low ball across the face of goal.

For the hosts, Andre Riel provided the primary threat. On two occasions he saw speculative shots from distance comfortably gathered by Ben Amos, but on 24 minutes the hosts were level.

Amos initially turned a deflected Mikkel Basse volley around the post, but from the resulting corner the referee spotted an infringement through a ruck of players and awarded a penalty kick. Riel stepped up to convert from 12 yards.

Derik Osede was then forced from the field of play with a slight knock. Filip Twardzik came on in place.

Prior to the interval, Amos was alert to come off his line and block at the feet of striker Martin Kock Helsted, whilst Zach Clough saw a shot from an acute angle repelled by the Helsingor goalkeeper.

The second period saw a flurry of substitutions from both sides, with new signings Mark Beevers and Jamie Proctor both introduced.

And Proctor immediately linked up with Max Clayton in the left channel, before a goalmouth scramble ensued in the Helsingor area. Conor Wilkinson arrived on the scene and after a neat turn away from a defender saw a shot blocked.

Much of the second half passed without any incident of note, but Bolton upped the tempo with 15 minutes to go.

Second half captain Jay Spearing sent a low shot wide from distance before Mark Davies slalomed through three challenges before seeing his run halted by the onrushing goalkeeper.

Another new signing, Chris Taylor, then volleyed marginally wide following Spearing’s knockdown before the Trotters’ positivity was rewarded late in the piece.

Taylor engineered space out wide left, before centring for Proctor who towered to power home a near-post header and seal victory.

Bolton Wanderers: Amos (Muller 68), Moxey (Trotter 46), Dervite (Beevers 46), Vela (Wilson 46), Clough (Proctor 46), Madine (Wilkinson 46 (Taylor 71)), Derik (Twardzik 28), Pratley (Spearing 46), Woolery (Clayton 46), Finney, Walker (Davies 46)

Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Holding, Palaner