Parkinson is running Wild in top six again
SUPERSUB Yanic Wildschut ended a 10-year hoodoo for Bolton – and left their opponents in big trouble at the foot of the Championship.
A fortnight after climbing off the bench to down West Brom, the flying Dutchman repeated the trick at the Madejski Stadium, giving Phil Parkinson’s men their first win over Reading in a decade.
The outlook is starting to look bleak for the home side, who have now lost their first three league games for the first time since 1959/60.
“I’m really disappointed,” said Royals boss Paul Clement. “We moved the ball too slowly and we weren’t creative enough. After the goal we didn’t have the mentality to get back into it.
“I can’t sit here and say we’re unlucky. We’re joint-bottom because we haven’t been good enough over three games. We’ve got to turn it around quickly.”
Clement’s side actually had the better of the first half and twice came close to opening the scoring.
John Swift’s free-kick brought a stunning save from Ben Alnwick and it took some heroic defending to deny Yakou Meite just before the half-hour mark.
The Ivorian looked destined to score after rounding Alnwick, only for Bolton skipper David Wheater to make a stunning last-ditch intervention.
It was starting to look like another long old afternoon for Parkinson, who had never beaten his old club as a manager.
But the Trotters boss had a trick up his sleeve at half-time – the quiet Will Buckley was replaced by Wildschut and manic Yanic took just three minutes to break the deadlock.
Craig Noone was the architect, splitting the Reading defence with a clever through ball that left Vito Mannone completely exposed. Wildschut ran through, steadied himself and tucked home confidently.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Parkinson. “It was a hard game but we really restricted them. Being in the top six is a big boost for us psychologically. Staying up there has to be the aim.”
points, two goals, one red card – the countdown to a mad afternoon for Claude Puel.
On the one hand, a wonderful performance from new scoring midfielder James Maddison and a first win of the season in the bag.
On the other, Jamie Vardy can look forward to an early-season mini-break after his out-of-control challenge on Matt Doherty brought an instant dismissal from ref
Mike Dean.
It was a day to forget for
Doherty, who left the pitch injured after the tackle and also scored an own-goal opener.
So mixed emotions for the Foxes after the only Midlands derby left on the Premier League fixture list. Puel (below) was full of sympathy for England forward Vardy afterwards. He said: “I think it was a little tough. It was not his intention to make a foul. Too much enthusiasm and it’s a pity. “For me, it was not his intention but after the ball he touches the player and it was in the move. It was not aggressive and he has been unlucky.” Wolves swept all before them last season, winning plaudits, points and goals almost with no effort. But the top flight is a different playground and this was