Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League One, Toughsheet Community Stadium, Saturday 5 April
Bristol Rovers fell to their fifth straight defeat in Sky Bet League One after losing 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
After a goalless first half, the Trotters tested Jed Ward several times before breaking the deadlock with 15 minutes remaining.
Aaron Collins, who was denied three times by the Pirates' goalkeeper, directed his downward header into the corner after latching onto Gethin Jones' cross.
The Pirates pushed for a leveller, but Nathan Baxter pushed Matt Butcher's diving header wide before Scott Sinclair scuffed his close-range strike.
Iñigo Calderón made one change to the team that lost 2-1 to Birmingham City on Tuesday night, with Sil Swinkels coming into the defence instead of Clinton Mola.
Rovers started the contest much better than their previous two outings, where they conceded in the opening few minutes. Kofi Shaw was in for his sixth successive start and set the tempo early on. The young midfielder got down the right before flashing a cross just over Ruel Sotiriou's head before having a shot blocked soon after winning possession and dancing through two defenders.
Chances were few and far between in a cagey first half, with both teams having just one shot each in the opening 30 minutes. The first attempt on target came through Aaron Morley, who scored the Trotters’ first goal at The Mem in the reverse fixture, but Ward easily claimed his effort from the edge.
The hosts grew into the fixture and started keeping possession in the Gas’ half and almost gained a fortunate lead just before the break. Morley’s curling corner caused havoc in the box, with Taylor Moore flicked header slamming the bar before the ball was cleared away.
With the game there for the taking for either side, the second half continued in the same vein as the first, relatively eventless. The Gas contained Bolton well, stopping their opponents from having shots, much to the frustration of the home fans.
When the Trotters did break forward from a Rovers corner, Collins’ close-range attempt was pushed excellently around the post by Ward before the flag went up for offside. The former Pirates striker then tried his luck from distance moments later, with the goalkeeper making a much simpler stop.
Collins was sharp in the box and kept searching for the goal that would break the deadlock. His volley was travelling towards the top corner, with Ward equal to his efforts to parry it out for a corner.
However, the forward was not to be denied a fourth time. Jones rushed down the right and whipped a perfect cross towards Collins, who planted his header into the bottom corner.
Rovers struggled to create chances in the second half but responded well to the setback and almost levelled immediately. Luke Thomas’ forward pass down the right side of the area was headed on target by Matt Butcher, with his attempt pushed wide.
The visitors then had a golden chance in the final few minutes when James Wilson played the ball across to Sinclair, but he rushed his effort, with Bolton claiming all the points.
Bolton Wanderers: Baxter, Johnston, Gomes (Dempsey 75), Sheehan ©, Dacres-Cogley (Jones 64), Osei-Tutu, Forrester (Thomason 17), Morley (Matete 72), Collins, Forino, McAtee
Subs not used: Southwood, Etete, Randall
Goals: Collins 75
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Moore (Hunt 80), Wilson ©, Sotiriou, Sawyers (Ward 65), Taylor, O’Donkor (Thomas 75), Swinkels, Butcher, Forde (Sinclair 65), Shaw (Hutchinson 75)
Subs not used: Hall, Reindorf
Booked: Butcher 30
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Attendance: 22,422 (451 away)
