Bolton Wanderers’ Pre-Season Friendly
Thierry Gale scored an important late equaliser as Bolton Wanderers continued their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood Town. The game took place at the Highbury Stadium and saw Wanderers make several changes to their lineup, with only Xavier Simons, Kyliane Dong, and Sam Dalby remaining from the previous match.
Match Highlights
Fleetwood started strong in the second half, taking an early lead through Ched Evans. Bolton struggled to break down the hosts' stubborn defence despite creating chances. However, Gale's introduction off the bench proved pivotal as he found the breakthrough late in the game, much to the delight of the 1,100 travelling supporters.
Wanderers made significant changes from their previous match against Everton, with Eoin Toal and Ethan Erhahon still sidelined and new signing Gaizka Larrazabal not yet ready for action. Chris Forino and Joel Randall were absent from the squad, while Sam O’Neill came on as a substitute.
Bolton's captain was Xavier Simons, who took over the armband in the absence of Toal and Forino. David Harrington returned to goal after leaving the club earlier this year, facing Jay Lynch, who had come through Bolton’s youth ranks for Fleetwood.
The early stages saw Bolton on the back foot as Finley Potter sent a header over the bar from Harrison Neal's free kick. However, Wanderers began to gain control with Dong seeing his shot deflected wide of the post and Ronan Coughlan having a sight at goal after a defensive mix-up.
Despite John McAtee’s efforts, Bolton struggled to find an equaliser until Gale’s late intervention. His cross towards Forss was deflected in by Lynch, giving Wanderers the 1-1 draw they needed to end their pre-season friendly on a positive note.
Bolton's squad will now prepare for their final pre-season match against NAC Breda of the Dutch league this weekend at the Toughsheet Stadium.
