FRIENDLY REPORT: WANDERERS 4 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3

There was an edge to the contest as referee Simon Mather issued a flurry of yellow cards and also some quality as Albion regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half.

Another fine pass from Furlong pierced Wanderers’ back line for Wallace to cross low to the impressive Thomas-Asante, who slotted home.

But if that was a good goal, so was the one the Whites scored to respond immediately.

Evatt’s men again worked the ball well through the middle before Josh Dacres-Cogley fed Dempsey to take a touch and then fire a low shot back across Josh Griffiths and into the far corner.

That was Dempsey’s final touch of an excellent afternoon as Evatt made changes and one of them, Forrester, made an instant impression.

The summer signing almost scored in the mid-week draw against Everton and this time he did get his first goal in a Wanderers’ shirt by moving forward from the back, collecting the ball just outside the penalty area and bending a low, right-footed shot into the bottom corner.

It didn’t prove to be a winner as mis-placed pass from Baxter handed Thomas-Asante an equaliser and a fourth goal in a frantic 15 minutes.

But Wanderers still had time to make sure they would come out on top in another impressive showing against higher-ranked opposition.

Griffiths denied Victor Adeboyejo with a flying save but had no answer to Morley’s thunderbolt as the Whites signed off their summer in style.

Wanderers: Baxter; Jones (Sadlier 73), Almeida Santos, Ashworth (Forrester 62); Dacres-Cogley Thomason, Sheehan (Morley 62), Williams (Conway 83); Dempsey (Mendes Gomes); Nlundulu (Adeboyejo 67), Charles (Jerome 67). Substitutes: Coleman.

Booked: Ashworth, Sheehan, Nlundulu

West Bromwich Albion: Griffiths; Furlong, Ajayi, Kipre, Townsend; Yokuslu; Swift, Mowatt; Wallace, Thomas-Asante, Phillips. Substitutes (used): Bartley, Pieters, Chalabah, Gardner-Hickman, Fellows, Malcolm, Hall, Faal.

Bolton completed an unbeaten pre-season as they twice came from behind, before netting a stoppage-time winner, to beat West Bromwich Albion 4-3 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Trailing in each half to goals from Jed Wallace and Brandon Thomas-Asante, Wanderers drew level on both occasions through Kyle Dempsey, before taking a lead soon after the hour as Will Forrester came off the substitutes’ bench to curl home a delightful strike from the edge of the box.

Thomas-Asante took full advantage of a goalkeeping howler from Nathan Baxter to level the scores at 3-3 on 69 minutes, but the goalscoring wasn’t finished until the fifth of six added minutes as Aaron Morley collected a back-heel from Carlos Mendes Gomes and rifled home from 25 yards to win the game for the Trotters.

Despite their eventual victory, Bolton actually started on the back foot and were counting their blessings inside six minutes when the assistant referee raised an offside flag to deny Okay Yokoslu an opening goal.

The Baggies didn’t have to wait long for the break through, however, which arrived four minutes later when Wallace raced on to a through ball from Darnell Furlong to slide beyond an advancing Baxter for 1-0.

Baxter ensured the deficit remained at one as he twice saved from Matt Phillips and Thomas-Asante, while Wanderers fired their first warning shot on the quarter-hour as Dempsey and Josh Dacres-Cogley combined to tee-up Dion Charles, whose effort was always rising over Josh Griffiths’ crossbar.

Furlong shot over from distance as the visitors looked to double their advantage just after the half-hour, while Zac Ashworth went into referee’s book for the hosts on 37 minutes after pulling back the shirt of Wallace.

Thomas-Asante tried to catch Baxter unawares two minutes before the break, only for the Wanderers goalkeeper to keep his focus and make a routine stop, moments before Bolton got themselves back on level terms to ensure they went in level at the interval.

Receiving possession just outside the Albion penalty area, Dempsey cut inside onto his right foot and curled an unstoppable drive into the top corner of Griffiths’ goal to make it 1-1.

With both managers looking to give increased playing time to the majority of their players ahead of next weekend’s big EFL kick-off, it came as no surprise to see both teams emerge unchanged for the start of the second period.

Having started poorly in the opening 45 minutes, Bolton burst out of the blocks following the restart and came close to going ahead within three minutes as Charles cut a ball back from the byline for Josh Sheehan, whose goalbound strike was blocked by a defender.

Sheehan, Dan Nlundulu and West Brom’s Yokuslu were all booked shortly afterwards, but the Baggies regained their composure to lead for a second time on 55 minutes as Wallace, scorer of the opening goal, squared for Thomas-Asante to slide in from close range for 2-1.

Parity was restored just three minutes later, however, as Dacres-Cogley fed Dempsey just outside the box, who twisted and turned into a shooting position before drilling low across goal to make it 2-2.

Bolton would then go on to lead for the first time on 64 minutes as Forrester, who had only been on the field a matter of moments, found himself deep in opposition territory and curled a delightful low attempt beyond Griffiths and into the bottom corner.

However, the scores were level yet again just five minutes later as Baxter made a mess of a clearance, providing Thomas-Asante with the freedom of the stadium to put the ball into an empty net for 3-3.

Mendes Gomes struck over with less than 20 minutes to play, while Victor Adeboyejo was denied an outstanding goal from 30 yards by the fingertips of Griffiths, who pushed the ball around the post.

West Brom came close to a winner three minutes from the end of regulation time when Taylor Gardner-Hickman flashed a shot inches wide of Baxter’s target, but the scoring wasn’t over as Bolton went on to claim victory against their Championship opponents.

With his back to goal, Mendes Gomes appeared to have little by way of options available, but picked out Morley with a back-heel, who composed himself and found the bottom corner from 25 yards with a drilled attempt which left the goalkeeper clutching at air.

The win means Wanderers complete pre-season without tasting a single defeat, as they head into next Saturday’s League One opener against Lincoln City full of confidence ahead of another long season.