Advantage Bolton in Part One- but this is not over

Written by Lee Pasquariello

In my previous piece, I wrote that the main aim of the first leg was simple, to stay in it. I said that if we could go into the second leg at Valley Parade with things to still play for, then I would back us 100%.

And look what’s happened, this tie is well and truly wide open. Bolton will bring only a one goal lead to Valley Parade on Thursday night.

I watched tonight’s game once again in a pub in Bradford city centre, as I was unsuccessful in getting a ticket, and the atmosphere with myself and the people I was with at the final whistle said everything you need to know. We were all on the same page.

None of us were gutted. The job away from home is over and done with, and now it’s our turn.

First of all in the second leg of this playoff tie, we need to be clinical. Over the years as City fans we’ve felt our own playoff pain, most notably against Carlisle, where the tie can get away from you if you don’t take control. For me this is what we need to take advantage of on Thursday.

At Valley Parade the plan simply has to be this. A fast start, an early goal, and continuous relentless pressure.

In terms of the match then, Bolton for a large majority of this game had most of the play. In the first half I felt City looked very defensive and panicky at times, as Bolton dominated, but couldn’t find a breakthrough before half time.

Then came the second half that began in a pretty bizarre fashion, with referee Martin Coy being substituted for an injury. It’s actually something I’ve never seen happen in my 16 years of watching City.

It completely killed the flow though as City started the first half much better than we ended the first, and looked the better side during the opening minutes. It was after this period that Bolton got their goal through a superb strike through Amario Cozier-Duberry, although from a City perspective it will be argued he was given far too much space and time in the first place.

The goal wasn’t the biggest moment of the night for me. It was actually what came a few minutes after it. Cozier-Duberry found himself in a similar position but this time it hit the post and stayed out. A massive let off for City.

Even though the rest of the tie after this was nervy, that chance was the best of theirs to properly kill tonight’s game off, and potentially it could be the one that keeps the tie alive. There’s every chance if City actually manage to pull it off at Valley Parade on Thursday that Bolton will be haunted by that miss. Going into the second leg at 2-0 would’ve made it more comfortable for them.

Overall, Bolton have the lead, but there’s every chance City can come back from this. They had the chances to kill the tie off tonight at the Toughsheet and they (currently) haven’t. This is where the advantage of the home leg at Valley Parade comes into play. They have to play in front of our fans, a full stadium, and defend a small lead against a team which in reality has nothing to lose.

Like I said in the buildup, we weren’t even predicted to finish in the playoffs this season. We should go into Thursday’s match with zero fear in front of a sellout Valley Parade, and make it a truly horrible place for Bolton to come to. It would allow us to maintain our amazing home record, and finish this season at Wembley.

90 minutes are finished. 90 minutes are still to be played. Tonight’s result isn’t the one we wanted, but there is still life in this tie. This is not over.