Bolton 4-1 Stockport: Schumacher’s side promoted to the Championship in style | OneFootball

Jack Buchanan, Chief Football League reporter

Bolton Wanderers won promotion back to the Championship this afternoon with a 4-1 win over Stockport in the League One playoff final.

Ruben Rodrigues, who broke Bolton hearts in this very game two years ago when he scored for Oxford United, opened the scoring after just two minutes, capitalising on a poor piece of goalkeeping to sweep home from close range.

Adama Sidebeh appeared to equalise shortly after, but the goal was disallowed by VAR after an on-field review.

Sidibeh was the man to net the equaliser, however, when his flicked header found the bottom corner on the half-hour mark.

Bolton regained their lead midway through the second half, when Kyle Wootton helplessly turned the ball into his own net.

It was Sam Dalby who netted a superb bicycle kick from inside the area before Rodrigues struck again to convert from the penalty spot, sealing promotion for Bolton.

As It Happened

Dave Challinor named an unchanged Stockport County XI ahead of today’s final, for a fourth consecutive game. Meanwhile, Bolton made three changes, with Max Conway, Thierry Gale and Xavier Simons coming in from the off in favour of Eoin Toal, Ethan Erhahon and Ibrahim Cissoko.

Bolton’s changes paid off after just two minutes, when Gale’s shot was parried to Rodrigues, who made no mistake firing in from close range to capitalise on a goalkeeping error to open the scoring. Sidibeh appeared to equalise for Stockport in the 11th minute, lashing the ball into the far corner. However, the goal was subject to an on-field VAR review, which saw today’s referee, Joshua Smith, disallow it for a foul in the build-up.

Wootton headed goalwards in search of a leveller shortly after, but his effort was comfortably caught by Jack Bonham. Rodrigues gifted County their next chance, which saw Ethan Pye take on a strike that flashed across the face of the goal.

Their legitimate equaliser finally came on the half-hour mark, this time Sidibeh headed home from the centre of the box after the Bolton defence had switched off for just a split second. Amario Cozier-Duberry looked to restore his side’s lead shortly after with a curling effort, but could only find Corey Addai’s gloves.

Jordi Osei-Tutu was next up to have a crack at goal, dancing through the Stockport defence before seeing his shot deflected behind for a corner. Eight minutes of injury time yielded no real chances for either side, bringing an entertaining half to a close with the scores level.

Bolton started the second 45 well, with Josh Sheehan taking on a long-range strike, which was well saved by Caddai. The first yellow card of the afternoon was shown to Wootton on the hour mark, after his sliding tackle took out Rodrigues following a lacklustre piece of play from Stockport that allowed Bolton to break. The first changes of the game followed, with Bolton introducing Dalby to replace Simons.

Bolton took the lead again just moments later, when Wootton turned the ball into his own net off the back of Cozier-Duberry’s shot. Stockport responded with a triple change that saw Bristol City loanee Josh Stokes, Sidibeh and Louis Barry replaced by Jack Diamond, Benony Andrésson and Tanto Oloafe. The latter of which almost netted instantly, but was kept out by Bonham.

Bolton turned to their bench for a second time in the 71st minute, when Cissoko and James McAtee replaced Mason Birtsow and Gale. Their final change was enforced shortly after, with Cyrus Christie replacing the injured Conway.

George Forino came close to extending the Wanderers’ lead with little more than 10 minutes of regular time remaining, but he saw his header saved by Caddai. Stockport’s next change saw Ben Osbourne replaced by Malik Mothersille.

Dalby netted Bolton’s third goal seconds later with an incredible goal. The forward held off Pye before pulling off an acrobatic finish. It went from bad to worse for Stockport when former Bolton defender Josh Dacres-Coggley was sent off for a hair pull on Cissoko, as well as a penalty being awarded.

Rodrigues stepped up to the spot and sent Caddai the wrong way; the ball nestled into the corner, wrapping up promotion for The Whites.