Carling Cup news: Burnley 'head' into next round as Bolton Wanderers crash out
Burnley were given some good news heading into their Carling Cup match with Bolton, the teams mercurial winger Ross Wallace managed to pass a late fitness test and was available to be used in the nights’ fixture.
Despite a few of the team's main players being injured like midfielder Chris McCann, the Burnley boss was rather optimistic about the nights’ match and was reported to have said that he felt his team could pull off a major
upset on the night, with everyone expecting Bolton to walk away from the match with a win.
Bolton's manger Owen Coyle had a little more at stake going into the game, this was because the manager left Burnley in order to get appointed as Bolton's manager. Coyle was caught saying the following prior to the match
and explained the emotional significance the game would have on him: "If it was just down to emotion, and emotion alone, I would never have left Burnley,'' Coyle said.
"But I had to look at the bigger picture and I made a footballing decision because of the infrastructure and everything else at Bolton.
"I'd been here as a player and I knew everything that goes with that as well, and that was how it was made. Was it emotional leaving? Absolutely. Will it be emotional? Of course it will. I wouldn't be evasive or try to get
away from that.'
Almost all the experts were tipping Bolton to come out with a win on the night.
The match between Burnley and Bolton started off with a surprise. Contrary to everyone's belief that Bolton were going to be the stronger team on the night, Burnley looked to take the game to their opponents.
During the opening half the home team created more chances and strung together more movers then the visitors. Bolton had their moments as well, but they were no match for what Burnley were doing on the pitch.
Burnley managed to take the lead right before the end of the first half. Wade Elliott received the ball to the left side of the Bolton area and didn't think twice before hitting a very strong right footed shot from twelve
yards out that beat the keeper and bounced back of the inside of the goal, giving the home side the lead.
The second half picked up with Burnley looking the sharper side out of the two. The home team seemed to have a new sense of hope and purpose and were taking the game to their opponents who seemed to be rather confused with
the flurry of attacks from the Burnley side.
Burnley quite easily dominated the second half and the game for that matter, the fact that they had nearly sixty percent of the possession just proved that fact. The match soon ended with Burnley holding onto their one goal
lead and sending Bolton crashing out of the tournamnet.
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