WANDERERS (3-5-2).
NATHAN BAXTER…5.5.
Made a handful of saves and claimed a few good crosses but beaten four times, so won’t take many positives from his day.
CHRIS FORINO…4.
Bypassed far too easily for the first goal by Russell and never able to settle as he was shifted around the back four with different central defensive partners.
RICARDO SANTOS…4.
Not the return he would have wanted. Looked like a player who hadn’t featured in nearly three months and now running out of time to prove otherwise.
GEORGE JOHNSTON…3.
Had a torrid start to the game and moved to left back where things got even worse. Looked gutted after being taken off after 35 minutes.
JOSH DACRES-COGLEY…3.
Pinned in by Humphrys and should have been an attacking outlet with the pace to damage Earl on the left. Hooked before half time.
AARON MORLEY…4.
Looks like it will be the end of his season after an ankle injury – and not the way he would have wanted to bow out. Didn’t make a dent.
JOSH SHEEHAN…4.
Off injured at half time having been unusually quiet. Hardly got on the ball and couldn’t get himself involved to win it back.
GEORGE THOMASON…4.5.
What little scrap Bolton showed early on came from their captain but this wasn’t a day he will remember fondly.
JORDI OSEI-TUTU…3.
Succumbed to injury and left Bolton with 10 men at the time. Floated around on the fringes of the game and didn’t really do any damage.
JOHN MCATEE…3.
Wasted a glorious chance one-on-one and charged around without affecting the game, which was lapped up by fans of his former club.
AARON COLLINS…3.5.
The goal gives him half a mark more than his strike partner – but he looked nowhere near his confident best, failing to get himself involved in the physical stuff.
Subs: Jones 3, 38 – Poor defending one-on-one, especially for the third goal.
Murphy 3.5, 39 – One effort blocked but seemed laboured in his work.
Matete 6, 41 – At least showed a bit of spark.
Dempsey 5.5, 46 – Not at his best but did fight for the ball.
Lolos 3, 67 – Negligible impact.
Not used: Southwood, Mendes Gomes.
Barnsley (4-3-3): Flavell; Bland, Roberts, McCarthy, Earl; Phillips, Connell, Russell; Jalo, Keilor-Dunn, Humphrys.
Subs: O’Keefe 67 (for Humphrys), Lembiksa 87 (for Earl), Cotter 91 (for Jalo).
Not used: Hayton, Lewis, Nwakali, Rodrigues.
Referee: Elliott Bell 7/10 – With his dad Jimmy watching in the stands, Bell got the vast majority of his decisions right in a game that occasionally got temperamental. Dealt with everything pretty well.
Attendance: 13,685.
MAN OF THE MATCH – Jay Matete.
It was a low bar when he arrived on to the pitch but at least the midfielder got his foot in and won back some possession because at that point, Barnsley had been able to do as they please.
MOAN OF THE MATCH – This was a high-pressure game against a team who press and hassle and are not frightened to be aggressive. It’s a familiar failing, and it’s hard to watch.
MAGIC MOMENT – Up to half an hour before kick-off, the Wanderers fans were in fine voice and the sun was shining. Then it all turned to pot.
ATMOSPHERE – Credit to the travelling supporters, they did everything they could to try and kickstart the team, even at 2-0 down. Deserved a lot, lot more.
