Three points, isn’t that all that matters ?

By Carl Curtis

We came, we expected and we conquered !

Ok, maybe it weren’t the comfortable victory we hoped for but it was the three points we yearned for.

I didn’t expect Slade to change his team that much, if at all, despite having returning stars come back to the fold but to have Whittingham replaced with Pilkington was welcomed by the majority of City fans at the Macron Stadium.

City started brightly and the opening goal was a well worked from back to front team goal, which resulted in Tony Watt getting his first City goal.

I went for a toilet break when Bolton equalised but I understand it was a super strike that beat Marshall.

From that point midway through the first half City looked a different team, the passing became sloppy, we defended deep and allowed the game to very much pass us by through the remaining twenty minutes.

The second half was very much a seesaw event, no side really taking control but allowing each other to expose frailties that each side have.

Good team work and passing got City back in front though the end product was fortunate to say the least. Scott Malone shot and the keeper saved it only to see the ball cannon off his own defender into the net.

Inexplicably City allowed Bolton to equalise despite having numbers behind the ball we still managed to give time and space when it seemed neither was there.

Pilkington won the game for City with a well taken far post volley to secure all three points.

It was not a comfortable victory but it was a victory none the less and City have clawed themselves into a play off position after nineteen games, now they have to handle the pressure to try and stay there.

I enjoyed today’s atmosphere, the old school songs, Russell Slades celebrations at the end too.

We looked like a team that could be caught out today for spells in the game but on other times we looked dangerous on the attack.

It was pleasing to see Slade learn from the mistakes of last week and change the system to 4-5-1 in the final 10 minutes too.

Man of the match was Tony Watt for me.