[themaclad]

Off to Horwich to play permanently destitute Notlob, fair play to the Wanderers they have managed to go a couple of weeks without a winding up order being given to them, still in desperate trouble at the bottom of the league but have to give credit to North End supporting Chorley born manager Phil Parkinson who is working abslute miracles to keep them in with a chance of surviving. However his days may be numbered given the rumoured take over by City slicker Mark Warburton who with his financiers will take over the club and become manager if his plans come to fruition.
Until then Parkie keeps going, they have not actually won a league game this year and lie bottom of the form table with two points in the last six games, main problem this season has been putting the ball in the net although they did bag twice against us in a 2 all draw a match which saw Pearson being sent off after the game for having his eyebrow eaten.
Horwich brings back happy memories for me having gone to the college there for two years although like most of it's pubs it has now disappeared to become a housing estate. Good news is that Northern rail piss taking strike is now over although limited service will run on Saturday just in time to take quite a large majority of the 4500 away support that will pay an average of £30 to keep Wanderers going for another week.

Bolton Wanderers Football Club (/ˈboʊltən/ (About this soundlisten)) is a professional football club in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.

Formed as Christ Church Football Club in 1874, it adopted its current name in 1877 and was a founder member of the Football League in 1888. Bolton have spent more seasons than any other club in the top flight without winning the title.[3] They finished third in the First Division in 1891–92, 1920–21 and 1924–25.

Bolton won three FA Cups in the 1920s, and a fourth in 1958. The club spent a season in the Fourth Division in 1987-88 before regaining top-flight status in 1995 and qualifying for the UEFA Cup twice, reaching the last 32 in 2005–06 and the last 16 in 2007–08.

The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895. On 9 March 1946, 33 Bolton fans lost their lives in the Burnden Park disaster when a human crush occurred.[4] In 1997, Bolton moved to the Reebok Stadium, renamed the Macron Stadium in 2014, and now known as the University of Bolton Stadium.

First Team News
Manager Alex Neil has been able to name an unchanged side for the last three games and hopes to have no significant new issues this weekend.
He takes his side on the short trip across the M61 to the University of Bolton Stadium to face Phil Parkinson’s Bolton Wanderers in front of a sold out away end on Saturday.

Louis Moult and Callum Robinson (both hamstring) and Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) are the only players who are definitely unavailable through either injury or suspension.

One player who will probably miss out is January signing Connor Ripley. The goalkeeper injured an ankle in a behind closed doors reserve game on Tuesday and will have a scan to reveal the extent of the problem.
For the Trotters, they will hope to recall goalkeeper Ben Alnwick, who missed the last two games due to a back problem, with Remi Matthews having taken the role between the sticks in his absence.
They will also check on Mark Beevers, who also missed the trip to Sheffield United last weekend with an Achilles issue, although Marc Wilson was fit enough to make the bench after a dead leg.

Midfielders Joe Williams (thigh) and Pawel Olkowski (calf) and winger Yanic Wildschut (ankle) have also been sidelined in recent weeks and will all be checked as to their progress before the derby game.
For the second time in a month, one of the most experienced Championship officials, Andy Madley, will take charge of a North End away game, for our trip to face Bolton Wanderers at the University of Bolton Stadium.
The referee will be taking charge of his fourth North End game this season. He was the man with the whistle for our home clash with Stoke City back in August, which ended 2-2, the 4-1 win over local rivals Blackburn Rovers in November and our recent 4-1 win at Queens Park Rangers last month.

He has been in charge of some of the Lilywhites’ best moments over the years, most notably the League One Play-Off Final in the 2014/15 season, where a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick led to a convincing 4-0 over Swindon Town at Wembley.

Last season, Andy refereed four PNE games. He oversaw home victories against Reading and the final day 2-1 win over Burton Albion, as well as our games away to Ipswich Town at Portman Road and the return fixture against Reading.
He was in charge for a previous trip to Loftus Road, back in the 2016/17 season. Jermaine Beckford was on the scoresheet and Nedum Onuoha scored an own goal in a 2-0 victory as Simon Grayson’s returned from London with all three points, their first win of the season.
During that campaign, Andy refereed four more North End games including both games against Newcastle United and a 5-0 victory at Deepdale against Bristol City, where Callum Robinson netted twice.

As well as the aforementioned Play-Off Final, the official also had the whistle for another 4-0 victory in the 2014/15 season. North End convincingly beat Scunthorpe United away from home, as Joe Garner netted twice.

He was the referee for our famous Capital One Cup victory over rivals Blackpool in the 2013/14 season. Tom Clarke netted the winner three minutes from time to secure a famous 1-0 win over our rivals.

So far this season, he has refereed 25 games in all competitions, issuing 61 yellow cards and one red card. It will be the second time that he will referee Wanderers this season, with his last game being their 3-0 home defeat against Sheffield United back in August.

Most recently, he was in action in the Championship as he was the man in the middle when Rotherham United took a point from their trip to Millwall last weekend, a game that ended as a 0-0 draw.

On Saturday, the ref will be assisted by Robert Merchant and Mark Russell, with Andrew Miller as the fourth official.

[themaclad]

Bolton Wanderers 1 Donaldson Preston North End 2 Browne, Barkhuizen

Bolton Wanderers line-up: Matthews, Loew, Ameobi, Noone (Pritchard, 77), Connolly, Wilson, O’Neil, Magennis, Grounds (Donaldson, 62), Wheater ©, Connell (Vela, 23). Subs not used: Alnwick, Buckley, Olkowski, Dyer.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Hughes, Pearson (Lesdson, 87), Storey, Davies, Potts, Gallagher © (Nmecha, 76), Maguire, Browne (Johnson, 90), Barkhuizen. Subs not used: Crowe, Earl, Clarke, Stockley.

Attendance: 17,381 (4,565 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr A Madley

At times this was almost too easy for North End especially the first 30 minutes of the second half when both the home fans and team seemed easily resigned to their fate. The fact we got three points in the end is down to a late save by Rudd from Magennis.
The afor mentioned Wanderers forward who is a throw back to the old fashioned built like a toilt out house caused us a few early problems a header which was saved a shot which went wide.
From then until half time the 4500 away following sat back and waited for us to start banging them in. Took a while as Wanderers defended in depth, we should have gone ahead when Barkhuizen got in down the right advanced on goal had acres of time could have passed to Browne but took on the shot and missed the target.
Didn't matter about 8 minutes to half time Barkie redeemed himself played Browne in and his shot went in under the keeper actually thought Mathews should have done better. Could have had two more Maguire after a mazy run was just about denied by the keeper and Browne didn;t get enough power on one which was cleared from the line. If either of tose two had gone in we would have walked it.
Wierd atmosphere for most of the second half as North End passed the ball about at will ;looking for the killer second didn't come although we had chances Potts had the best and whilst at one up you just knew Wanderers would have one decent spell and so it proved, they started to get more into the game in the last 15, started to get into some good positions around the box, ironically it was us who scored the required second, Maguire over the top Barkhuizen in acres of space one on one with the keeper didn't miss. Needed it late on a free kick to Wanderers which they won at the back post Donaldson nodded home from close range and then Rudd's save from Magennis.
For us big week Norwich and Forest at home for Wanderers personal view they are up shit creek without a paddle

Bolton Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson:

"We have got to find a way of playing and stick to it. We didn't get any control like we have in recent games.

"Before their second goal we were having a good period in the game but a basic mistake cost us again.

"We can't afford to give cheap goals away. We are up against decent sides and we have got to give ourselves a chance."

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"If we are being fair to ourselves it probably should have been four - and that's being reasonable.

"We created six or seven golden opportunities. But I was here when Bolton played Reading.

"Reading were winning 1-0 and were quite comfortable in the game but Bolton rallied to get a goal at the end.

"That's why I had some frustrations because I knew when you get those opportunities you need to take them. If you do you can kill the game and kill the momentum."




https://youtu.be/fKBnvmBHqdM