Bolton promoted after big win over Stockport
Sam Dalby’s stunning overhead kick paved the way for Bolton Wanderers to end its seven-year wait for Championship football with a 4-1 victory over Stockport County in the League One Play-Off Final.
Wanderers were already in the driving seat with a 2-1 lead in blistering heat at Wembley Stadium before Dalby, with his back to goal, acrobatically connected with John McAtee’s header to send the Trotters fans into delirium.
Bolton had taken an early lead through Ruben Rodrigues and, despite being pegged back by an Adama Sidibeh leveller, Kyle Wootton’s own goal restored the lead before Dalby’s remarkable intervention.
There was still time for a Bolton fourth with Rodrigues converting from the spot after Josh Dacres-Cogley was sent off for tugging the hair of Ibrahim Cissoko, following a review by VAR.
Bolton can now look forward to a return to the second tier in a moment it hopes will kickstart a new era after patchy recent history, including a spell in League Two in 2020/21.
Neither side has won a third-tier Play-Off Final, despite two attempts each, and it was Wanderers who were red hot out the gates, opening the scoring in the third minute.
Corey Addai could only palm Thierry Gale’s low strike into the path of Mason Burstow, whose ball across goal was diverted to Rodrigues to tuck home.
Stockport thought they were level shortly afterwards, Sidibeh racing away and finishing, but referee Josh Smith chalked off the goal after watching a replay on the pitchside monitor, deciding that Sidibeh had clipped the heel of Bolton defender George Johnston.
Sidibeh was not to be denied though as he pulled the Hatters level on the half-hour mark, heading in Odin Bailey’s pinpoint cross for his 21st goal of the season.
The fast pace of the game continued after the break, with Josh Sheehan forcing a save from Addai and Rodrigues skewing wide of the Stockport goal.
The Trotters were back in front courtesy of an own goal from makeshift defender Wootton. Amario Cozier-Duberry, released into the area by a deft touch from Dalby, saw his low cross-shot saved by Addai only for the ball to ricochet into the net off Wootton, who has been filling in at centre-half during a defensive injury crisis for the Hatters.
Tanto Olaofe came closest to a Stockport response but Bolton began to overpower its opponent, Cissoko’s strike against the post a warning of what was to come.
Dalby’s stunner came as the Hatters failed to clear the ball in a period of sustained pressure and Dacres-Cogley's late dismissal – and Rodrigues’ penalty conversion – only heaped the misery on Stockport as their wait for a return to the second tier moves into a 25th year.
For Bolton the prospect of Championship football is now a reality.
