Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Bolton

Bolton's second Championship match of the New Year is away to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Sheff Weds are currently in 9th position in the league table with 37 points where as Bolton have dropped a place from 15th down to 16th in the league with 30 points.

The Owls last 5 Championship results are:

Nottingham Forest 0-2 Sheff Weds (Away Win)
Wigan 0-1 Sheff Weds (Away Win)
Sheff Weds 1-0 Blackpool (Home Win)
Fulham 4-0 Sheff Weds (Away Loss)
Sheff Weds 0-1 Wolves (Home Loss)

Last 5 meetings:

Bolton 0-0 Sheff Weds
Sheff Weds 1-3 Bolton
Bolton 1-1 Sheff Weds
Bolton 0-1 Sheff Weds
Sheff Weds 1-2 Bolton

With the Owls winning 3 games in their last 5 and with the Trotters fantastic recent form, I feel that this will be a draw.

This is a must win game for Bolton if we are to push up the table but feel that this will not be the case.

My prediction: 1-1

How do you all think we will do?

I've gotta fancy Sheff Wed for this one, they have improved recently and are not far off play offs.

Plus I think a lot of our players will have their eye on the Liverpool trip next weekend.

Back to winning ways. Sheff wed are no great shakes. 1-3 to us

Ref watch: Scott in the middle

Graham Scott will take charge of Wanderers’ Sky Bet Championship fixture against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this Saturday.

The Oxfordshire based official has overseen six Whites’ fixtures in the past, including three this season having taken charge of Bolton’s trips to Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea and Norwich City.

Danny Markham and Daniel Meeson will run the line, while Darren Drysdale is the fourth official.

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Can't say I fancy us but I hope for a 0-1 all the same.

1-2 Trotters (Pratters)

Expect Sheff Wednesday to win as they have a better team and are in better form, but we can live in hope and the performance has to be an improvement on the Leeds game. I hope.

Preview: Sheff Wed v Bolton

SETTING THE SCENE 

Wanderers travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, having lost just one of their last 11 matches but eager to clinch their first three points of 2015.

The Owls are in strong form themselves, boasting the second-best defence in the Championship while they have also won their last three league matches without conceding a goal.

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However, their home form remains a particular headache for manager Stuart Gray with only Brighton and Wigan registering few home wins than Wednesday, while they have also only found the back of the net six times in front of their own fans so far this season.

With that in mind, the Whites will be hopeful of maintaining their recent strong record at Hillsborough, having won both previous meetings on the ground since returning to the Championship.

TEAM NEWS

Manager Neil Lennon has no new injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Having missed last weekend’s match against Leeds United, Zach Clough (hamstring) is once again ruled out through injury while Rob Hall (ankle) also remains sidelined, with the duo set to be out of action for the next few weeks.

Lee Chung-Yong (leg) has returned from international duty but will not be available after injury ended his Asian Cup campaign prematurely.

Joe Mason (hamstring), Marc Tierney (leg), Mark Davies and Max Clayton (both knee) all remain long-term absentees.

LAST SHEFF WED XI (v Nottingham Forest, L 2-0)

Westwood, Loovens, Semedo, Palmer, Lees, Dielna, Maghoma (Baker 81), Lee, May (Helan 72), Nuhiu, Maguire (Lavery 85).

ONE TO WATCH

With Sheffield Wednesday currently boasting the second-best defensive record in the Championship, much of that is to do with the form of summer signing Keiren Westwood.

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The Republic of Ireland international joined the Owls from Sunderland on a free transfer in July, and has wasted no time in establishing himself as the club’s first choice keeper.

Keeping 12 clean sheets from just 25 appearances during his time at Hillsborough so far, Westwood’s impressive displays in goal have seen him linked with a move to the Premier League this month, prompting chairman Milan Mandaric to issue a hand’s off warning earlier this week.

LAST TIME WE WERE HERE (Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 Bolton, 26 April 2014)

Liam Trotter scored a spectacular maiden Wanderers goal while Oscar Threlkeld made his Whites’ debut the last Bolton faced off against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Racing into a three-goal lead inside the opening half-hour, Neil Danns poked home from close-range to fire Bolton ahead before Lee Chung-Yong pounced on a defensive error to race clear and double Wanderers’ lead.

Trotter extended the Whites’ lead with a fine goal from distance, and although Joe Mattock pulled one back for Wednesday soon after, the result was never in doubt as Bolton extended their unbeaten away run to eight matches.

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It will be pay on the day for those who won't get a chance to pop to Bolton Central to purchase a ticket before Saturday.

As of Thursday morning, just over 800 tickets had been sold for this game.

Footage from Euxton ahead of this weekend's match against the Owls:

I think that we might win 1-2, we'll be 1-0 down at half time but Lennon will work his magic at half time and we'll see a totally different Bolton.

Danns to equalize, and the Mule to get the winner in added time.

A Bolton fan to nosedive down from the second tier in celebration.

scottjames30 wrote:I think that we might win 1-2, we'll be 1-0 down at half time but Lennon will work his magic at half time and we'll see a totally different Bolton.

Danns to equalize, and the Mule to get the winner in added time.

A Bolton fan to nosedive down from the second tier in celebration.

You'll get decent odds at Betfred for that bet.

boltonbonce wrote:
You'll get decent odds at Betfred for that bet.

Do you give up yet , Boncie lad?

No.
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ok, tell me when your bored, then you can hide for a bit.

IMO you've got a good six months left yet bonce.

5 months more than you.

boltonbonce wrote:5 months more than you.

You'd get super odds for that.