Bolton Wanderers vs Morecambe

for Blake to again come to the
rescue just before half time with a
class finish.
A Joe Baker free kick restored
Orient’s lead, awarded for a
needless foul on Griffiths by Andy
Todd, but Bolton levelled again in
the 65th minute when a penalty
was awarded after Per Frandsen
had been upended. John McGinlay
stepped up to make it 3-3 and that
proved to be his 118th and final
goal for the club before making a
move to Bradford.
A minute later substitute Arnar
Gunnlaugsson headed Wanderers
ahead for the first time on the night
but Orient weren’t finished and had
the consolation of a draw on the
night when Mark Warren scored in
the final minute of the game.
Bolton’s reward was a third round
home tie against fellow Premier
League side Wimbledon where
they would be looking for revenge
after losing to them at the quarter
final stage the previous season at
Burnden.
Team: Ward, McAnespie,
Todd, Whitlow, Phillips, Pollock,
Frandsen, Thompson, Johansen,
(Gunnlaugsson), (Strong), Beardsley,
Blake. (McGinlay)
Attendance 6,444
Sunday 26th October 1997
FA Carling Premiership.
BOLTON WANDERERS 1
CHELSEA 0
The Wanderers finally registered
a Premiership win at the Reebok
that saw them climb off the
bottom of the table and out of the
relegation zone.
New £3.5 million pound striker
Dean Holdsworth spoke about the
relief of starting to repay part of the
fee with his first goal for the club,
in what was his third appearance,
to help register the first League
win since the opening day of the
season. The club had recorded
their first win at the Reebok twelve
days earlier with a 3rd round Coca
Cola win against Holdsworth’s
previous club Wimbledon but
after so many close calls against
Everton, Manchester United,
Tottenham and Aston Villa it was
a relief to finally get some home
success in the League.
It’s true that Wanderers rode their
luck against Chelsea with ‘keeper
Keith Branagan playing the hero’s
role to deny the Londoners. Two
magnificent saves denied Mark
Hughes and on the stroke of half
time Dan Petrescu also saw his
goal bound effort turned away.
The winning goal, Wanderers first
Premiership goal from open play
at the Reebok, came with just 18
minutes remaining. Holdsworth
neatly turned Scott Sellars cross
past Ed De Goey and the Dutch
‘keeper had to be alert just two
minutes later with a fingertip save
from Sellars as Bolton went for
the kill.
Nathan Blake then shot wide of an
unguarded goal but final minutes
seemed to last a lifetime as the
Londoners went all out for an
equalizer and there was palpable
relief as referee Peter Jones blew
the final whistle.
After the celebrations in the camp
there was a realization discipline
needed improving with Gerry
Taggart receiving his fifth booking
of the season. This, added to
his sending off at West Ham the
previous week, meant he would
now have to sit out six games.
Sellars also reached the threshold
whilst Andy Todd was still out with
his ban for a punch up with Aston
Villa’s Stan Collymore.
Team: Branagan, Bergsson,
Fish, Taggart, Phillips,
Frandsen, Thompson, Sellars.
Beardsley,(Pollock), Blake,
Holdsworth. Subs not used:
Johansen, Aljofree, Gunnlaugsson,
Ward.
Attendance 24,080
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