Lincoln City 0-1 Bolton Wanderers - Full time match report

Dion Charles was not in the travelling party – with reports claiming all day long that he was on the verge of a move to League One rivals Huddersfield Town.

Those rumours were confirmed by Ian Evatt after the final whistle with the Bolton boss admitting the striker has played his last game for the club.

Another striker stepped up to claim the spotlight, as he has so often in the Vertu Trophy, and it was Aaron Collins’ first half effort which made the difference in what was a tight and largely uninspiring last 16 tie.

Wanderers made seven changes from the side that started at Rotherham United, Victor Adeboyejo making his first start up front since Wycombe on December 20, and Jordi Osei-Tutu making only his sixth start of any kind this season on the left.

Luke Southwood, Gethin Jones, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Klaidi Lolos and Jay Matete also came back into the side looking to qualify for the quarter-final stage of this competition for the third consecutive year.

Considering the meek way they had finished the game at the weekend, the first half performance was a small step forward, with football played at a better tempo and a few more Bolton players taking responsibility on the ball. It wasn’t especially convincing, though, and the fact that Lincoln had rained in a dozen shots by half time must have been of some concern.

Evatt’s side did have to ride their luck on occasion too, a Reeco Hackett goal chalked off after 33 minutes for offside seemed to bamboozle most inside Sincil Bank. Indeed, the Imps players had finished celebrating and were back in position by the time referee Thomas Parsons jogged over to check with his assistant Danny Guest that there definitely hadn’t been a problem. Magically, his flag was up in the air.

By that point Bolton were 1-0 up. Aaron Collins continued his love affair with this competition to score his 14th goal of the season and his sixth in the Vertu Trophy.

The Welshman beat onrushing keeper Zack Jeacock to a long ball but took just enough time to allow Lincoln’s defenders to get back and block his shot at goal. Thankfully, the clearance came back to him in an instant, and he made no mistakes on the second attempt, placing the ball through Jeacock’s legs to put his side ahead.

Lincoln had always looked a threat on the break, Jack Moylan passing an early effort inches wide of the post after an audacious spin from Hackett had caught Wanderers out on the edge of the box.

Moylan, Hackett and former Bolton loanee Ethan Hamilton all put efforts on goal, keeping Southwood by far the busier of the two keepers, and a few miscued clearances hinted at the defensive wobbles that have proven so costly for the Whites of late.

One such occasion happened just after Collins’ opener when Matete’s risky turn landed him in trouble 10 yards outside his own penalty box. Again, the Imps lacked quality at the crucial moment, and it was to a frustrated murmur from the home supporters that they disappeared back down the tunnel at half time.

Lincoln’s own form has not been especially impressive, with only one league win since the end of October. The negative vibes circulating around the sparsely populated stands at the start of the second period were eerily familiar and, from experience, Wanderers knew all they had to do was hold their nerve.

Matete’s risk-taking caused a few flutters but there was a welcome return to form for George Thomason, who was noticeably sharper.

Wanderers had chances to put the game to bed completely. Collins picked up on a loose ball and played a well-timed pass through for Adeboyejo with 25 minutes to go, but Paudie O’Connor got back to make a challenge. Klaidi Lolos was left with head in hands and completely free of a marker in the middle of the goal.

Evatt’s preference for his players to pass out from the back has been much debated of late, lampooned even. But when it works, it can create moments of real quality. After working the ball from Santos and Southwood, a succession of angled one-touch passes ended with Osei-Tutu playing a dangerous ball into to newly-arrived sub John McAtee, who unfortunately scooped his effort over the bar.

Moments later, Southwood came to his side’s rescue to tip a powerful effort from Sean Roughlan over the bar. In the build-up referee Parsons and his other linesman, Ravel Cheosiaua, had conjured a lingering moment of awkward comical genius as they looked at each other wondering who was going to make a decision on a contested throw in.

Wanderers defended well in the latter stages to hold on to their clean sheet, Santos, Thomason and George Johnston particularly resolute as the Imps tried everything they could to force the tie into penalties.

The conversation on Charles will continue but Bolton fight on in this competition regardless.

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