Connor Wickham on target again as Forest Green beat Bolton

Posted Sunday, October 09, 2022 by PA

Connor Wickham’s fifth goal of the season handed struggling Forest Green just their second home win with a 1-0 victory against Bolton.

The former Premier League striker pounced on 32 minutes to grab a vital victory for Ian Burchnall’s side.

It was Forest Green who conjured the first meaningful chance on 12 minutes. Reece Brown and Kyle McAllister opened the Trotters up, but Armani Little fluffed his lines – firing into the feet of on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford as the net bulged in anticipation.

Chances were at a premium but Rovers got their noses in front before the break – Corey O’Keeffe’s run and cross from the by-line found the predatory Wickham lurking inside the box to thump in his fourth goal in five games beyond the helpless Trafford.

Bolton cranked up the heat after the break and were a whisker from a 58th-minute equaliser, but Luke McGee’s sharp reflexes denied Dion Charles.

It was Charles who should have snatched a point for the Trotters with six minutes to go, but he drilled the ball into McGee.

With a minute of normal time to go, Bolton substitute Kieran Sadlier volleyed wide with just McGee to beat as Rovers held out.