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Bolton promoted back to the Championship after 4-1 win against Stockport in playoff final

Bolton Wanderers have been promoted back to the Championship after a 4-1 win against Stockport County in Sunday’s playoff final.

Both sides came into this hoping their end their second tier exile, for Bolton’s they hadn’t been in it since 2019, but for Stockport, their were last there in 2002.

It took just two minutes for Bolton to take the lead, Ruben Rodrigues into the bottom corner after Thierry Gale’s shot was parried by Corey Addai then Mason Burstow’s follows up picked out Rodrigues.

Then 9 minutes later, County thought they had gone level, only for it to be disallowed. EFL Communications tweeting: After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of goal to Stockport County.”

The referee announcement: “After review, Stockport #29 (Adama Sidibeh) commits a careless challenge on Bolton #6 (George Johnston), my final decision is no goal.”

Just before the half hour mark, Sidibeh did have a goal that counted, Stockport 1-1 thanks to Sidibeh with a header on a cross sent in by Odin Bailey.

The rest of the half continued to be end to end, Bolton’s Jordi Osei-Tutu with an unbelievable run, making his way past a number of Stockport players, but saw his shot blocked inside the box.

The second half began, mistakes started to happen, and then on 64 minutes, Kyle Wootton with an own goal, Bolton ahead again.

Amario Cozier-Duberry made his way into the box, Addai palmed the ball out, it fell to the legs of Kyle Wootton who was running towards goal and couldn’t stop it from rolling across the line.

Bolton then turned it up a notch, putting pressure on, Ibrahim Cissoko struck the post via a deflection on the 78th minute, then bolton’s player of the season Sam Dalby produced a wonder-strike to make it 3-1.

Heartbreak for Stockport, their second trip to Wembley this season ending in defeat having also lost 3-1 to Luton in the EFL Trophy Final earlier this year.

A VAR check for red card in injury time and Bolton are awarded a spot kick after Stockport’s Josh Dacres-Cogley pulled the hair of Ibrahim Cissoko.

Ruben Rodrigues stepped up and cooly slotted it in, send the keeper the other way, sending the Bolton fans wild, chants of “we are going up, say we are going up!”.

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher said to Sky Sports:

“It was really difficult, especially in the first half, the heat and the conditions. I just said to the players at half-time, our intensity needs to be a bit higher with the ball and without the ball.

“If we can make a few more passes, tire Stockport out and get into the final third then we’re in a position to create. Second half, I thought we were brilliant.

“It’s all joy. Being a manager of Bolton Wanderers, that type of pressure is a privilege.

“I knew what I was getting into when I came to this football club. We’ve worked so hard, been here for 18 months now and everybody has pulled together to get us there.

“It’s exactly what we deserve.”

Bolton’s Sam Dalby said to Sky Sports, per BBC Sport’s live blog:

“To be honest, I had a dream that I missed an open goal last night, so maybe that was a good omen.

“But honestly, I’m speechless. I can barely hear myself think. It’s unbelievable.

“It’s a team game at the end of the day. A few of us have come off the bench recently.

“I just said to everyone on the bench, make sure you’re ready, we can go and win the game today and thankfully we did.”

On whether this is the best way to win promotion: “100%. If you said at the start of the season you can guarantee yourself play-off final, that’s the best outcome possible.

“Any way we go up, I’ll take it.”

Bolton’s Josh Sheehan said to Sky Sports:

“This is the best day ever, with the group of lads we’ve got, they’re such a great group and to do it for this club and these fans after so much heartache it’s all worth it now.

“The first day I signed here the target was to get in the Championship, obviously it’s taken longer than we wanted but this is the best feeling ever.”

Here’s the social media reaction with Bolton promoted back to the Championship after a 4-1 win against Stockport in the League One playoff final…

@Hitchikr: Good to have #bwfc back in the championship, look forward to our games, Stockport took a minibus to Wembley as usual, non league club really. #twitterclarets

@MarkyMark_BWFC: We have benefited from VAR twice today, but I don’t agree that it should have been used in this game. That said, it’s punished them for the usual L1 dirty play. #BWFC

@Rbfootie: Reuben’s last 2 league 1 play off final appearances 2 goals and 2 assists what a boy #OUFC #BWFC

@TNWPodcast:
We’re the one & only Wanderers
We’re the one & only Wanderers
We’re walking along
Singing a song
Walking in Schumacher’s Wonderland
WE ARRRRRE THE OOOOOOONE AND ONLY WANDERERS #BWFC

@OldManWinter999: Well I didn’t think they had it in them, but I’m very happy to be proven wrong! Stockport taking off Sidibeh who was the best player on the pitch won us that. Monumentally stupid decision from Challinor #bwfc

@Stuart_Linnell: It was unlikely to affect the outcome, as Bolton were 3-1 up anyway, but Stockport have a man sent off & a penalty awarded against them by VAR, in a match involving two sides who never have VAR imposed on them in their regular season. The ref on the pitch should be good enough.

@AndyBorland4: Bolton 4 Stockport 1. Go on Wanderers! Bolton finally get out of League 1 & get back to the Championship. For those of us who invested in Wanderers Bonds a few years ago, a nice little financial reward for getting promotion too 😁 #BWSTP

@tomlowe162: VAR regularly gives the bigger clubs decisions and they have again how the fuck can you play 50+ games without it then just have it all of a sudden? Load of shite. To Bolton fans I don’t dislike you I’m not bitter I hope you do well next season but that’s a load of shite

@_HamzaPatel: From the lows to the highs @OfficialBWFC are promoted to the Championship! Great result to seal it. Incredible season, incredible scenes. Up the Whites! 🤍#BWFC

@swfc_TS: Brilliant lads, and to think 7 years ago you were threatened with liquidation, amazing turnaround 👏

@I_am_Adz: Deserved. By far the best team out of the rest of the league. Shows how shit the rest of the play off teams were. Bolton made lite work of it.

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