Non-League and Academy football writer

I was in attendance at Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium on Monday evening, to watch the FA Youth Cup second round tie between Bolton Wanderers Under 18’s and Derby County Under 18’s. It was quite a one sided game, with the category one academy side Derby County winning the cup tie 4-1, to set up a third round tie with Manchester United in the next round. Derby County started the game on Monday evening well, and after the Derby centre-forward Dajaune Brown had managed to get on the ball and then bring it into the Bolton Wanderers penalty area, he was met by Bolton’s goalkeeper George Barlow. However, the ball ended up running through to Johnson Osong, with a Bolton clearance deflecting off of him and then being cleared off the line by a Bolton defender. A long diagonal pass to Johnson Osong on the left side of the Bolton penalty area, resulted in the Derby winger having an effort saved by Barlow. Dajaune Brown then had an effort deflected just wide from inside the Bolton box.

Derby County goalkeeper Jack Thompson made a decent save, before at the opposite end of the pitch, Lennon Wheeldon hit a low effort wide of goal, from the edge of the penalty area. Johnson Osong then curled an effort narrowly wide of Barlow’s goal, before Niall McAndrew hit an effort just wide of the Bolton goal, from the right side of the Bolton penalty area, as Derby started to get closer to taking the lead. Bolton were defending well at this stage of the game, but Derby were in control of the game. After some fine ball control by Dajaune Brown inside the Bolton box, he hit an effort on goal which was pushed behind by Barlow. A couple pf minutes later, following a good passing move by the visitors, Lennon Wheeldon had an effort saved. However, Derby did manage to take the lead shortly after. After Derby County had won a corner kick, the ball came out to Harry Hawkins on the edge of the Bolton penalty area, from where Hawkins hit a volleyed effort beyond a number of players and into the goal.

After Niall McAndrew had cut inside from the right flank with the ball, he curled a powerful effort on the Bolton goal, but Barlow was equal to it, making a fine save to deny him. Just before half-time, Derby doubled their lead. Lennon Wheeldon received the ball just inside the Bolton box, and after showing some good composure he found the back of the goal with a low finish. Derby continued to dominate the game during the early stages of the second half. After Niall McAndrew and Dajaune Brown had gone close to extending Derby’s lead, Derby made it 3-0, after a good run from Dajaune Brown into the Bolton box resulted in him winning a penalty, after he was tripped by a defender. The Derby centre-forward stepped up to take the penalty, and he calmly found the bottom right corner of the goal. Derby captain Keilen Robinson headed an effort wide following a corner kick, before Lennon Wheeldon went very close to scoring his second goal of the game.

Derby County made it 4-0 in the 83rd minute of the game. The goal came after some good build-up play, with Derby substitute Owen Eames powerfully finding the back of the Bolton goal, from inside their penalty area. Bolton did manage to pull a goal back just before the end of the game, after some good work from David Adimbola resulted in him finding Deashon Lawrence inside the Derby penalty area, with Lawrence finishing from close range, just before the referee brought the game to an end. This was quite a one sided game, with Derby County making it difficult for Bolton to get on the ball. My player of the match was Dajaune Brown, a player who impressed for Derby County on Monday.