Match Report: Dundee 1-2 Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers finish their pre-season tour of Scotland with a 2-1 win against SPL side Dundee FC at Dens Park.

Before I write about the game, I just need to commend Dundee on the ‘Macaroni Pie’ I had last night. It was bloody delicious and whoever invented it is a genius.

Anyway, on to the game.

Phil Parkinson selected a strong XI to face the Scottish Premiership side.

Looking at that side, it’s safe to assume that it could be the starting line up for the Leeds United game. Wanderers lined up in a 4-5-1 formation, with Will Buckley on the left wing and the returning Sammy Ameobi on the right.

Bolton started the game well (aside from a Dundee shot which Alnwick saved with relative ease), with Gary Madine and Josh Vela constantly pressuring the Dundee defence and their goalkeeper.

Ten minutes into the game, Josh Vela tried to go around the goalkeeper, but lost his footing and the Dundee defence cleared. Five minutes later, Will Buckley fired a free kick well over from around twenty yards out.

Dundee then had another chance to score, but former Arsenal youth player Glen Kamara headed wide from a corner.

Bolton’s dominance finally paid off and in the 19th minute, they were 1-0 up. Mark Beevers’ superb long ball was taken down by Gary Madine, who put Wanderers ahead with a composed finish past Scott Bain.

Will Buckley almost made it two shortly after, before Josh Vela did double Wanderers’ lead just before the half hour mark.

Gary Madine was involved again, playing the ball through to Josh Vela, who superbly struck the ball into the left corner of the goal.

Madine then tried his hand at a free kick, which to his credit he managed to get over the wall and on target, but Bain was on hand to comfortably save it.

Dundee saw a couple of half chances come to nothing just before half time.

Going into the second half, Mark Howard and Chris Taylor replaced Ben Alnwick and Sammy Ameobi, with Will Buckley moving over to the right wing.

Dundee started the second half strongly, with Mark Howard needed to keep a driven strike by Wolters just before the hour mark.

As he did for the Arbroath game, Phil Parkinson made plenty of changes an hour into the game, and the following XI finished the game for Bolton.

Mark Howard then denied Faissal El Bakhtaoui with a brilliant fingertip save, before somehow denying Marcus Haber, whose shot from close range looked destined for the goal.

Howard was finally beaten in the 75th minute, when Paul McGowan finished from ten yards out.

Bolton’s closest chance in the final minutes came from a Adam Le Fondre cross. Playing in a right midfield role, Le Fondre’s powerful drive across the box just missed the outstretched boot of Connor Hall.

Trialist Haris Tabakovic fired a shot high and wide from distance late on. One Bolton fan mistook Tabakovic for Gary Madine, slagging him off for not chasing a ball. Little did he know Madine hadn’t been on the field for twenty minutes at that point.

Wanderers held on to ensure they left Scotland with two wins from two games.

Next up for Bolton is a trip to newly promoted National League side AFC Fylde on Tuesday night.