Bolton Wanderers 4-2 Fleetwood Town: Fleetwood avoid relegation despite loss
- Published
- comments
Barry Baggley scored first for Fleetwood, who survive in League One despite a loss at Bolton
Fleetwood Town secured their League One status despite a 4-2 defeat at Bolton Wanderers, as rivals Gillingham also lost to be confined to relegation.
The Cod Army started the day in 20th position, knowing their fate was in their own hands. The Gills sat a place below them, level on points but with an inferior goal difference, and Fleetwood had to match or better their result to ensure their own survival.
Barry Baggley's early strike gave Fleetwood the lead, before Dion Charles and Declan John hit back for Bolton.
Joe Garner equalised but Charles' second, followed by Jon Dadi Bodvarsson's injury time goal, left Fleetwood looking over their shoulders in the final minutes.
However, Gillingham's inability to come away with points against Rotherham ensured Fleetwood stayed up.
Fleetwood have endured a difficult season, in which they have never climbed any higher than 17th place, and consistently hovered in or around the drop zone.
A torrid eight-match losing streak through the autumn saw manager Simon Grayson sacked in November, with former player and club under-23 coach Stephen Crainey appointed on an interim basis in his place.
Things briefly improved with a decent spell before Christmas, in which Fleetwood took eight points from 18 - including wins over relegation rivals Doncaster and promotion hopefuls Rotherham - and Crainey was named head coach until the end of the season.
Yet Fleetwood recorded only three victories in 2022 and ended the season on an eight-match winless run. They avoided a first relegation since the team was reformed in 1997 by the tiniest of margins.
A loss that felt like a win
Fleetwood started with more intent as Callum Camps had a header saved by Bolton keeper James Stafford 10 minutes in.
Baggley, 20, - one of four players aged under 23 included in the starting 11 - then impressively scored his first goal for the club, taking the ball around a defender on the edge of the box and striking it into the top corner.
Bolton have closed the season on a good run, however, and came into the match with 13 wins out of their previous 21, and having not lost in seven matches.
Charles ended a 12-match goal drought to score with Wanderers first real chance of the match shortly before half-time, and John made it 2-1 - cutting inside with a darting run and shooting the ball beyond Alex Cairns.
Garner equalised with a scrappy effort from a corner 11 minutes from time yet Charles put Bolton back in front with a bizarre goal, winning the ball in a midfield tackle and watching the ball fly high down the pitch and loop into the net.
Bodvarsson wrapped up the three points for Bolton with seconds on the clock, as they end the season in ninth place, while Fleetwood's loss will have felt like a win as they survive to remain in League One.