The referee brings the whistle to his lips and the match begins - and within 30 seconds Jay Bothroyd is barged to the ground and fouled. Marcos Alonso was the culprit and giving the QPR loanee a taste of what was to follow. With only 4mins on the clock, Bolton fashion their first meaningful chance when Chris Eagles latches on to a Tyrone Mears cross that sees Chris Kirkland make the save. Wednesday break from the next attack and force an early corner, but as seems the case lately, it's a poor delivery and David Ngog clears easily. Just a few minutes later and a lofted ball over the top is dealt with by Kirkland, preventing ex- Man Utd player, Chris Eagles from going through one on one. The Bolton wide-man is seeing a lot of the ball and when Kirkland again snatches the ball from Ngog - played in by Eagles, Wednesday can break. The baseball cap sporting goalkeeper plays the ball upfield and again Bothroyd is clattered by Zat Knight and a free kick is awarded. Up steps Rhys McCabe and his driven free-kick, cleverly slotted under the jumping Bolton wall, slams against the post and rolls wide. It seems to have clipped a Bolton player on the way as a corner is given but again, it brings no reward. Adam Bogdan, the Bolton keeper, is called into action minutes later as a trademark run by Michail Antonio - bursting past his marker and into the 6 yard box, is blocked with the keepers legs. A slick turn and threaded pass from Ross Barkley preceded the run. The cameras then focus on Wednesday fan 'Tango' - shirtless as always and the commentator quips "It's sunny here in Sheffield but its still cold - mind you, the man is very well insulated!". Mark Davies is playing well for the Trotters in midfield and its his pass that sets Ngog away down the right, he quickly releases Eagles with a slide pass to the 6 yard box - but the dangerous move breaks down when Eagles slices the ball wide. On the half hour mark, a cross from out left is dealt with well by the returning from injury Anthony Gardner, the follow up is then cleared by Wednesday captain Martin Taylor who in turn sets up a good attacking move. Nejc Pecnik exchanges passes with Daniel Jones just inside Boltons half and the Wednesday left back is then able to burst forward and provide a dangerous low driven cross which is scrambled away by the visiting defenders. Barely 2mins later and it's the Owls back line being tested again as the influential Eagles sends a shot over the crossbar. The same man forces a corner from Jones and sends a cross to the back post where Spaniard Marcos Alonso guides the header home, 0-1 to Bolton after 44mins. The final minute of the half sees Wednesday trying to force an equaliser - with a corner wasted, a long throw by Antonio cleared and finally, a tame effort from Rodri allowing Bogdan to fall on the ball with the half time whistle blowing.
HT. My 15mins break will be used trying to get a better stream for the game as the one I was using was sticking quite often.
The officials finally join the players on the pitch and SWFC can make their first sub of the match, which sees Rhys McCabe replaced by Jose Semedo. The right-back today is Kieran Lee, making his first appearance and putting in quite a shift as he tries to shackle Chris Eagles -conceding a corner in the process. When the cross is cleared, Rodri breaks up the field (looking more energetic in this match) and is halted illegally by Liverpool loanee, Jay Spearing. The Barcelona B player then brandishes the imaginary card and as a result both men see yellow, much to the annoyance of the crowd who chant "You don't know what you're doing!" towards today's official. Another chant minutes later bellows from the away end, as Boltons travelling away fans - who have seen their side fail this season on the road, sing "We're winning away, we're winning away, how s**t must you be - we're winning away!" ... Great! Owls centre back Anthony Gardner then prevents Eagles being through on goal, as David Ngog has the beating of Martin Taylor - forcing a corner that is wasted by the Wanderers. On 55min we see the departure of Rodri, replaced by Jermaine Johnson (I would have thought Bothroyd would have made way for this swap as Rodri was doing well). A Nejc Pecnik free kick, after a foul by Tyrone Mears, sees Bogdan save and concede a corner which in turn leads to another corner and Bolton don't deal with it as Gardner is wrestled to the floor by Andrews, PENALTY! Up steps youngster Ross Barkley to slot home and restore parity after 62mins. "Hark now Hear, The Wednesday sing" rains down from the jubilant stands. The joy is short lived though as a neat one-two between Mark Davies and Kevin Davis, sees the Wednesday defence breached again and after dribbling past 3 defenders, Mark Davies fires home to put Bolton 1-2 up with 65mins gone. Wednesday go on the offensive and a near post header from Michail Antonio flies just wide after a corner by Pecnik. With 15mins to play, the hobbling Jay Bothroyd is replaced by Chris O'Grady and the pace which the battered loan striker departs the field infuriates a section of Owls supporters who boo him. After a needless free-kick conceded by Barkley gets fired over the bar from Eagles, Bolton are happy to let the clock run down and slow the pace of the game to almost a standstill - and as seen in midweek, chins have dropped for the Owls players. A long throw by Antonio lands at Semedos feet but the attack stalls when the ball goes out for a corner. The ball in by Pecnik is met with shouts of "Handball!" but are waved away by the referee. As the board for added time shows a staggering 4mins, Wednesday have a free kick for a foul by Benik Afobe on Chris O'Grady. Daniel Jones lumps one into the box but Alonso is there to clear, the Wednesday players look deflated. Bolton have been the better side throughout and never really look threatened by Wednesday attacks, but when Antonio wriggles free of 2 defenders and fires a ball in, they are fortunate the referee waves away protests of handball. The games last chance arrives when Kirkland launches a ball from the half way line, such was Wednesdays desperation to score - and Ross Barkley fires an out-of-the-box shot low at the keeper, with Bogdan doing well to save.
As the full time whistle blows, boo's reverberate around the stadium and Wednesdays losing streak continues.
ATTENDANCE: 26,598
Owls Man of the Match: Kieran Lee
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