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Bolton thrash Plymouth to win Papa John’s Trophy Final; Sam Cosgrove tackle angers fans

Bolton took to thrash Plymouth 4-0 to win the 2023 Papa John’s Trophy Final, which included a Sam Cosgrove tackle which angers fans.

Nearly 40,000 of the Green Army along with around 34,000 Trotters supporters packed out Wembley in what was sunny spring conditions.

The Trotters won the showpiece event with a comfortable victory. It boasted the largest attendance at any European football fixture this weekend.

A dream start for Wanderers thanks to Kyle Dempsey. The Wanderers midfielder was given a free header at their far post and leapt highest to meet Declan John’s corner kick. He nodded in the first goal, sending the Bolton end wild.

Six minutes later, Trotters’ top scorer Dion Charles scored his 19th goal of the campaign and an important one of that. After Dempsey had fed the ball to Charles, the striker netted from close range to make it 2-0.

Plymouth skipper Joe Edwards had an effort blocked by Whites captain Ricardo Almeida Santos, before Callum Wright dragged an effort wide of the upright.

Bolton was close to making it 3-0 by the 20th minute, as Ian Evatt’s team exploited the right side. A cut-back picked out Dempsey in the danger zone and his effort was cleared off the line by Edwards before Callum Burton eld on and breathed with relief.

Jordan Houghton, down the opposite end of the pitch, slid Ryan Hardie in and was stopped by a good save from Trotters’ goalkeeper James Trafford.

Argyle pleaded for a penalty when Bali Mumba entered the box, with Declan John bringing him down, but Argyle’s shouts for a spot kick were ignored by Ben Toner.

Evatt’s team picked up where they left off after the restart as Charles putt in good work, Elias Kachunga raced to the box and won possession back. He then smashed the ball into the corner for 3-0.

Ex-Argyle loanee Gethin Jones came back to haunt his former side, getting a fourth goal on 62 minutes.

One moment that got people talking, saw Sam Cosgrove go in with a lunging challenge on Eoin Toal. A yellow card was handed out, but the video shows how that should have been red after Toal had been forced off.

THE GOALS

Jack Dearden for BBC Radio Manchester: “It’s 100 years since Bolton played in the first FA Cup final at Wembley and they are back to win a game.

“I asked captain Ricardo Santos this week if he dared to dream about lifting the trophy and he said that was the plan.

“That plan is about to come true.”

Chris Hargreaves (Ex-Plymouth midfielder on BBC Radio Devon): “The Plymouth players will be so disappointed that they’ve not done themselves justice or performed for the fans.

“But they do have the opportunity to put it right because they are in a fantastic position in the league and that’s not going to change after today.

“They have got to learn from this and make sure it doesn’t happen again. I would like to think this is a one-off.”

This is what fans said as Bolton thrash Plymouth to win the 2023 Papa John’s Trophy Final…

@ThomasGibbs_: Thank you Evatt, thank you Sharon. We have our club back after all these years. Amazing performance from every single one of them

@LeeMcilwaine: Proper cunts tackle from Cosgrove there #pafc #bwfc

@ArgyleLoz: Congratulations to @OfficialBWFC a thoroughly deserved victory, from first minute to the last they were simply too good for @Argyle we now have to go away, lick our wounds and bounce back on Good Friday, it’s imperative we use this defeat to galvanise #pafc #bwfc

@pafcelliot135: No individuals should be blamed the entire lot we’re shocking. Let everyone down. If we end in the play offs we’re staying down simple as that. #pafc

@beejaybajoe: For a club that a few years ago almost liquidated and couldn’t even pay snr team players and was almost dead and buried, we are now #EFL trophy winners. Our loss to Middlesbrough in the 2004 Carling cup final is still fresh in my memory. Happy to see #bwfc rising again. 🏆

@GrantPomeroy: Defence a shambles. Cosgrove has to start every game up top now. Hardie thinks he’s off to a top Championship side. Good luck to him. No chance at that level. #pafc

@OwenW010705: That’s a disgusting tackle. How’s cosgrove not been sent off ?

@matt_ecky: Well played Bolton. A stunning performance. That is the most composed performance I have seen from a Bolton side in a Wembley final. And now for promotion! Safe journey home, folks! #COYWM! #BWFC

@CaldiniOh: Although today was devastating and embarking. It was are least important game left of the season. 8 cup finals left of the season that are more important. Stay behind the boys and get us to the championship. #pafc

@herfy_99: Well played Bolton as a neutral, I really enjoyed that. Well done 👏👏👏

@GSXBoy: Sam cosgrove you filthy twat!

@curtheaton97: From the brink of no longer existing as a club to winning an EFL final! Couldn’t be more proud and happy! The way the club has been managed and moved forward has me excited for the future! Congratulations guys!

@Coach_Paul_Ivey: All the happy clappers out there saying it’s just a EFL Final the league is more important … are forgetting that this was a massive game for the club. 8 more to come then play offs. Massive games. We don’t have the heart 💚 for it #pafc

@ChrisWo30990144: Congrats thank you for beating Plymouth most arrogant fan base in the league 😂

@Adamcsummers: Congratulations to you from a Wycombe Wanderers fan . Good to see after all the hard times over the last few years . Great club 👏

@Richwilson1991: 12 Years ago we lost 5 nil at Wembley. 11 years ago we were relegated. 3 and a half years ago we almost lost our club. Today we have won 4 nil at Wembley. Lots of demons were exorcised today! Wembley, we will be seeing again shortly (we hope)! #BWFC

@P0tZUK: Over it already. Said I’d rather be 5-0’d by Bolton and win the Morcombe and Lincoln league games which are way more important imo. Need to get points from these 2 as scum have been consistent recently and can see us dropping points there. I prey I’m wrong. Bring on Friday #PAFC

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