Bolton Wanderers 4-3 Crawley Town - Full time match report

The game was goalless and largely forgettable at half time – but an action-packed second half unfolded with seven goals scored and a red card for Crawley sub Rory Feely.

The visitors had led 3-1, clinically picking Bolton off three times on the break. Ruslan Hepburn-Murphy had scored either side of a Will Swan strike and Rob Eliot’s struggling side looked well on course for victory.

Jordi Osei-Tutu had briefly levelled the game and the wing-back was the main impetus behind a stunning comeback. Newcastle United loanee Alex Murphy scored the second, Josh Sheehan levelled the game and Crawley’s persistent timewasting came back to haunt them as 12 minutes of stoppage time were put up by the fourth official.

Sub Feely was given two yellow cards within five minutes of each other as Osei-Tutu ran rampant down the left, and that gave Bolton the incentive to push harder for a winner.

Jones will get the credit for the winner, although his cross-shot did take a deflection off Charlie Barker on his way into the net.

Wanderers had made four changes to the side that lost at Reading with top scorer Aaron Collins picking up a knock in training. Victor Adeboyejo, George Johnston and the suspended George Thomason also made way with Osei-Tutu, Aaron Morley, Jordi Osei-Tutu and John McAtee coming into the side.

There was no sign of the madness to come in the first half. Wanderers had got into some good positions out wide but failed to get enough quality in their deliveries. Szabi Schon had one good effort blocked and McAtee also fired just over the bar.

Crawley also played some enterprising football and made the breakthrough four minutes after half time when Hepburn-Murphy fired past Luke Southwood.

The reply came three minutes later, Osei-Tutu pouncing from close range, but Crawley responded once again with another excellent finish from Swan.

Wanderers were struggling to live with the pace of Crawley’s counters and they fell further behind with another well-crafted goal, Hepburn-Murphy placing his shot off the inside of the post.

Schumacher made a quadruple substitution and got a reaction. Though the Crawley bench complained that there was an injured player in the penalty box, Bolton’s quick free kick found them out of position and Murphy fired home.

Wanderers peppered the penalty box thereafter, McAtee fired over from close range, and it was Sheehan who managed to find the leveller, pouncing on a deflection from his own shot.

After Feely’s dismissal 12 minutes of added time helped breathe renewed purpose into Bolton, and they finally got themselves in front when sub Jones raided down the right and his cross-shot was deflected into the net by the unfortunate Barker.

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