Bury vs Bolton Wanderers. Sky Bet League One.
Gigg LaneAttendance8,007.
Thursday 27 October 2016 18:36, UK
Two Zach Clough penalties either side of half-time helped Bolton Wanderers beat Bury 2-0 at Gigg Lane on Monday night and go second in League One.
Clough opened the scoring from the spot after just 13 minutes, before adding a second with another penalty 11 minutes into the second half, although both decisions were hotly disputed by the home team.
As a result, Phil Parkinson's side have now won their last five games in a row, while Bury remain 11th after suffering a sixth straight defeat.
Bury boss David Flitcroft made two changes from the team that lost late on to Wimbledon last time out, with midfielder Jacob Mellis returning from suspension, while Leon Barnett was back in defence.
The visitors, meanwhile, made just one alteration from the line-up that started last week's win at Millwall, with Derik Osede coming in for the injured Tom Thorpe, who missed out with an ankle problem.
And it was Phil Parkinson's men who enjoyed the better start, with Sammy Ameobi waltzing through a static Bury back line, only to shoot straight at Ben Williams.
That miss was soon forgotten as the Totters took the lead, although Bury will be disappointed with their role in the goal, coming as it did from their own corner.
After Mark Howard had kept out Anthony Kay's header, the Bolton goalkeeper picked out Clough's run with a long kick up field, before the 21-year-old was bundled over in the box by the backtracking Danny Mayor.
Referee Geoff Eltringham waited to consult his assistant, before pointing to the spot, with Clough keeping his cool to send Williams the wrong way.
In fact, the visitors could have doubled their advantage minutes later after launching another swift counter following a Bury corner, with Williams racing off his line in an attempt to prevent Clough from scoring again.
But after the forward had dribbled past the Bury 'keeper, Mayor made up for conceding the earlier penalty by getting back to head Clough's goalbound shot off the line.
It did not take Bolton long after the break, though, to further increase their lead, albeit in controversial circumstances again after that man Clough was pushed over in the area by Leon Barnett.
Mr Eltringham pointed to the spot, with Barnett getting booked for his protests, before Clough again sent Williams the wrong way with the resulting penalty.
In fact, Clough really should have left Gigg Lane with the match ball, only for the increasingly busy Williams to twice deny the player with fine reflex saves as Bolton went in search of a third goal.
And the visitors could have made it 3-0 with 12 minutes to go, but substitute Jamie Proctor side-footed wide of the gaping goal when it seemed easier to score.
However, that mattered little as Bolton made it five clean sheets in succession in all competitions, while also registering a first win at Gigg Lane since 1929.
