Romared Match Thoughts Barnsley v Bolton Wanderers

[NerfHerder]

Thought they deserved at least a point but it will be interesting to see the penalty back on the highlights.

Collins has got a hell of a lot correct this season but I thought Cosgrove should’ve been on the pitch a lot sooner and I’m not sure what he was thinking with the Cotter sub. A knackered Phillips would’ve been better than the fresh Cotter.

Didn’t lose and it’s still in our hands so got to look for the positives. A win and a clean sheet on Saturday would be nice. Maybe a clean sheet is asking too much?!

[perkytyke]

I've just got back and totally lay the blame on Collins for not winning this! Mcatee was out on his feet after 60 mins there is a definite lack of fitness or he needs to manage his game better, but at 2-0 Collins takes him off and brings Grant on? Nobody understood why but it was clearly to try and shut up shop, then Phillips is off for Cotter who played as a right winger!!!!
Yes Bolton did not deserve to lose that, in fact they deserved to win it in the end and nearly did!
We cannot defend when being pressed so why did Collins think we could? Surely conceding every game shows him we can't, is it the defender in him that makes him make those decisions tonight?
ATM it feels like a defeat to me although it's still in our hands.

[pass_and_move]

I thought we did well up until their first goal. A goal which came about because we were slow to react to a quick free kick and they caught us on the back foot.

It was the classic 2 nil up scenario wasn't it. Do we continue playing as we are or do we sit back and allow them the territorial advantage. Unfortunately we chose the latter and weren't able to hold on but lessons to be learned there. Let's bear in mind that in recent weeks we haven't been in such a position in a game. We've mostly had to come back from deficits.

Fair play to Bolton who threw everything they'd got at us and could easily have won it with those chances that they failed to convert towards the end. They're the best side I've seen us play this season. They'll take more away from this game than us in terms of momentum.

From an individual point of view, I thought the performance Donovan Pines was top class tonight. Pines looks a very good signing to me and he'll keep on improving too.

I think we had to play a different type of game tonight because of the opposition. We chose the correct times to press in that first hour, one of which resulted in our first goal. We kept our shape really well in that first 60 mins and looked worthy of our 2 goal lead.

After that it became clear to me that McAtee had run his race and that Cosgrove should've been introduced much sooner and he should've offered us a better outlet which unfortunately he was unable to do.

The game management was poor by us in that last half hour. We didn't manage to plug up the hole between defence and midfield as well as we should've done allowing Bolton to orchestrate the play between the lines. It happened away at Peterborough also. Again, another lesson to be learned.

Overall I was disappointed we let a 2 goal home advantage slip but it was a fair result in the end against a very good footballing side. We are still very much in this promotion race with many points still to play for. I didn't think that would be the case back in November where I was thinking play offs at best in all honesty. We still have a great opportunity here.

[Shadrack the Red]

I thought we were in control for an hour but Evatts use of his subs changed the game , we did not react and got pushed deeper & deeper , they changed their tactics & played a lot of long ball over the top which lets be fair we have struggled with all seasonc& it was inevitable we would crack , I wasn"t sure about the penalty at the game but since watching it again when I got home I think it was a bad call , having said that over the ninety minutes the result was about right , its gone now & we move on .

[SBRed48]

A fair result.

Had the game gone on another few minutes Bolton would probably have won it. Fair play to them from 2-0 down

Eleven games, almost a quarter of the season to go. Many twists and turns to come before our "game in hand", Stevenage away on 9th April.

SACK Flatman and Hough. First home game with them in post and we fail to win. No coincidence.

[BarnsleyWhites]

Some very fair comments there guys and I agree that Donovan Vines was superb for you last night. First half you pressed us better and quicker than any other team we’ve faced and really constrained us passing the ball out and you got your reward for it when Thomason messed up a pass out and the ball fell kindly for McAtee to slot home. After that we regrouped but that second could have killed us off, more sloppy defending but a super hit from Pines. I think Evatt’s subs of Williams at LWB and Maghoma in the middle plus Dacres Cogley going off injured changed the game. We suddenly had both width for the long cross balls plus the added pace and skill of Maghoma in the centre. For some reason you then sat off a bit and that’s fatal, as it proved. It took us a number of misses first, some easier to score than miss but that’s us at the moment, create a lot but can’t finish, we even missed the penalty!! Thankfully and I think deservedly we got the equaliser but forgive me for saying I think you were actually very lucky in the end to get the point. I’d wish you good luck for the rest of the season and ideally I’d like us both to go up but probably one would have to be by the play offs, but obviously I hope it’s us who get that because the only luck we’ve had so far this season has been bad luck! ��

[Doggydo]

Looking at the replay I thought Earl was sucker punched for the pen, if your on someone’s heals and they put the breaks on you’re bound to bundle them over, as for the penalty if you’re one of the players not taking the pen you’ve got to be ready for the goalie saving it or coming back off the post and back into play, their players were ready, we weren’t., this was one time where they needed to man mark every player instead of watching the player taking the penalty.

[perkytyke]

It's gone now and a draw isn't the end of the world! I'm hoping Collins learns from last night and will take off his defensive goggles if in a similar situation?
I still believe Pompey will bottle it, they have some dodgy games coming up starting on Saturday at Blackpool who are no mugs at home! We just have to put professional performances in starting with one of our dodgy games against Lincoln who have been going well, like Orient were when they came to Oakwell.

[Jules88]

Some very fair comments there guys and I agree that Donovan Vines was superb for you last night. First half you pressed us better and quicker than any other team we’ve faced and really constrained us passing the ball out and you got your reward for it when Thomason messed up a pass out and the ball fell kindly for McAtee to slot home. After that we regrouped but that second could have killed us off, more sloppy defending but a super hit from Pines. I think Evatt’s subs of Williams at LWB and Maghoma in the middle plus Dacres Cogley going off injured changed the game. We suddenly had both width for the long cross balls plus the added pace and skill of Maghoma in the centre. For some reason you then sat off a bit and that’s fatal, as it proved. It took us a number of misses first, some easier to score than miss but that’s us at the moment, create a lot but can’t finish, we even missed the penalty!! Thankfully and I think deservedly we got the equaliser but forgive me for saying I think you were actually very lucky in the end to get the point. I’d wish you good luck for the rest of the season and ideally I’d like us both to go up but probably one would have to be by the play offs, but obviously I hope it’s us who get that because the only luck we’ve had so far this season has been bad luck! ��

You’re right, probably should have won that really. Your run in with Portsmouth, Derby, Oxford and Posh looks a tough one. Maybe youll get some luck in these. All the best ( but not too much…).

[Dingle council]

Fair result last night imo
I’ve seen us play Bolton the last 5 times and tb honest I thought they were bang average
But last night was the best I’ve seen from them by a mile, they stuck to their way of playing and fair play to them
The worrying thing I saw from the reds last night was how knackered we looked in the last 20 minutes
With the promotion run in upon us and games coming thick n fast it is a concern to me
An opportunity missed last night but we’re still right in theer
Bolton n Derby still to play each other too
COYR!