Super sub Bakayoko snatches it for Trotters

IAN Evatt hailed his super subs after Bolton snatched a late victory at Crewe.

Substitute Amadou Bakayoko polished off a rebound in the last minute after a Kieran Sadlier freekick struck a post to end bottom club Crewe’s second-half resistance.

The decisive setplay was won by another late replacement, Elias Kachunga, as the visitors kept their outside play-off hopes alive.

Earlier home keeper Dave Richards excelled keeping out a string of visiting efforts, but he was finally beaten at the death.

Evatt said: “We’ve got players who can come on and change things off the bench. Sometimes the bench can make the difference.

“What was pleasing was that the players kept going. I don’t think Crewe caused us any problems in the second half and we managed to score at the end.”

Tommy Lowery offered an early threat for Crewe and when his cross was spilled by keeper James Trafford, George Johnston moved quickly to boot the ball clear of the sixyard box.

Play was suspended for eight minutes midway through the first half by referee Sam Purkiss as a Bolton supporter needed medical attention. When the game resumed, Will Aimson thumped a header over from Johnston’s delivery.

Richards gloved around a Declan

John free-kick before the break and then, after the restart, he pushed away a far-post header from Oladapo Afolayan.

Wanderers turned up the heat and MJ Williams smashed a shot over before Dion Charles drove against a post.

Richards was then at it again, blocking an angled drive from Wanderers skipper Ricardo Santos.

In a rare moment of threat for Crewe, Bassala Sambou dollied an effort at Trafford when the German striker had time to compose himself.

Then came Bakayoko’s late winner, but frustrated Crewe Alexandra manager Dave Artell complained that he was offside when he drove home.

“We shot ourselves in the foot and it was hard to take as we’d had a one-v-one at the other end before that,” he said.

“The game was a massive missed opportunity.

“Their lad was offside from the freekick and it hadn’t looked like they were going to score.”