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pt 2 ...
On 70 minutes Bellion latched onto another long Carroll punt and deftly cut inside onto his left foot. He hit his shot accurately, from outside and to the right of the penalty area, but without power and Poole made the routine stop low to his right. Shortly after this Kieran Richardson had a free header from a Wood corner but failed to trouble Poole as his effort was back across goal but also beyond the post. Might have hoped for a bit better.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes Bellion went on a great run. He picked the ball up near halfway and teased his route through towards the area. He slotted a through ball that Kenny Cooper did well to take around the sprawling Poole but his left footed effort from an acute angle was not powerful enough to beat the now retreating home keeper who gratefully pushed the goalbound effort behind for another United corner. The American was subbed off now as was Kieran Richardson moments later. The replacements being Matt Williams and David Jones, Jones probably feeling somewhat disappointed having lost his starting place to Kleberson. Williams went up front and 1DJ went wide left.
Bellion again excelled and created another shooting opportunity for the Reds. A great run down the right, collision with a defender that was deemed not to be a foul, a tumble, a rapid recovery and then a composed pull back to Neil Wood who hit the volley from the edge of the area but missed the target. Bellion really was on fire tonight. My man of the match by a good margin. Good control, vision, distribution and blinding pace. Hope he continues to progress, maybe that £2 million won't look so expensive in a year or two?
Matt Williams was mixing it from his first minute on the pitch. The corner came over that Cooper had won before being replaced by Williams and all I heard was a stream of expletives from Kevin Poole after he'd been somehow 'impeded' by the United number 12. Matt then got involved in another bit of rough and tumble before he finally managed to get himself booked for a crude lunge on the BW number 12 on the edge of their area. A case of trying to impress a bit too much in too short of a period of time maybe? In the closing minutes Danny Pugh also saw the yellow card after foolishly flicking the ball away over the advertising hoardings after a decision went against him. Three or four of the Boltonians also managed to find their way into the official's bad books. Wasn't really a dirty game but seemed like a few cards were dished out. The two United boys certainly can have no complaints about their bookings anyway.
Bolton did press for the equaliser but happily it never came despite a couple of freekicks in promising positions for them. Another win, this takes the boys above Everton (on goal difference) into third place in the table. Villa are flying at the top, the draw with United in the first match of the season being their only dropped points to date. Newcastle sit in second.
Next match is a charity benefit on Thursday in memory of one of the families killed in the M56 accident earlier this year. It's at Ledbury Town and kicks off at 1930 but it is sold out. apparently. Next league match is at Altrincham on Thursday 20th at 1900 vs. Leeds United (presuming they are still in business then).
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