Bolton Wanderers took all three points away from the Madejski Stadium on Saturday afternoon after Yanic Wildschut’s strike saw Phil Parkinson’s men run out 1-0 winners over Reading.
TEAM NEWS
An unchanged side from the previous league game vs. Bristol City for Phil Parkinson’s side, as David Wheater took the captain’s armband once again.
FIRST HALF
John Swift produced a fantastic save out of Ben Alnwick on nine minutes, with a set piece bullet looking to be goal bound, only for Bolton’s shot stopper to palm it away to safety.
Sam Baldock had the next big chance of the game on the 20-minute mark, picking up the loose ball on the edge of the Wanderers area but his effort was high and wide.
A tame effort from Royals man Yakou Meite came in moments later, but the Whites defence never looked threatened.
A mistake from Mark Beevers allowed Meite to have an open goal to score in, but David Wheater was to the rescue with a superb last-ditch tackle to clear the danger.
30 minutes in and some delightful hold up play from Josh Magennis led to Will Buckley having the space to shoot inside the area, but the winger couldn’t get the better of Royals number one, Vito Mannone.
Reading responded with an effort of their own, as Baldock shrugged off Andy Taylor’s challenge but his strike was saved expertly by Alnwick.
Five minutes from the break and Magennis nicked the ball away from John Swift, broke away through the middle of the Reading half and teed up a shot, unfortunately only finding Mannone’s gloves.
SECOND HALF
Wanderers took the lead three minutes after the break, as Craig Noone played a flicked ball around the corner and second half substitute Yanic Wildschut did the rest as he slotted the ball under the goalkeeper.
Baldock tried to respond just before the hour mark, with a curling effort from the edge of the Wanderers box sailing wide of the far post.
Moments later and Swift had another effort from a similar position to his counterpart Baldock, but the same result applied as he sent the ball into the stands.
Going into the last ten minutes and chances were few and far between both sides.
That was until Wildschut popped up again from distance, this time unable to recreate his heroics as the powerful effort flew wide of the target.
Reading put intense pressure on the Bolton goal up until the final whistle, with goalkeeper Mannone even joining the attack for corner kicks.
But it wasn’t to be for the home side, as Wanderers took the spoils and the three points on the road.
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Wanderers starting XI: Alnwick, Taylor, Lowe, Beevers, Vela, Buckley (Wildschut 45), Noone (Donaldson 81), Murphy (O’Neil 66), Olkowski, Magennis, Wheater (C).
Unused substitutes: Matthews, Oztumer, Wilson, Grounds