Following three successive wins in the league, Bolton Wanderers will be aiming to continue their upward momentum when they host Solihull Moors at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Whites will take a brief break from the rigours of third-tier life to battle against the Moors, who are currently looking to climb into the Football League for the first time in their short history.
Match preview
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Bolton have now tasted victory in six of their last seven matches in all competitions after a hard-earned 2-0 win at the Valley against Charlton Athletic last weekend, with the visitors blowing the Addicks away in the first 20 minutes of the contest in South East London, further strengthening their promotion bid.
Randell Williams unleashed a brilliant long-range strike to open the scoring for the Whites in the first 15 minutes, and just five minutes later, leading marksman Dion Charles bagged his ninth League One goal of the season to put Ian Evatt's men into a commanding position in the clash.
Northern Ireland international Charles has now netted 10 goals in 15 appearances at the beginning of the 2023-24 term, and the last Bolton player to reach double digits with such speed was Michael Ricketts during the 2001-2002 campaign - a term in which the club narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.
The aim for the class of 2023-24 is ending the Whites' three-year stay in the third tier since they escaped League Two in 2021, and the former top-flight club are currently third in the League One standings, three points behind second-placed Oxford United and six behind league leaders Portsmouth.
Despite being four-time winners of the FA Cup - with their most recent success being in the late 1950s - Bolton have struggled to make an impact on the competition since the turn of the decade, with Saturday's clash against non-league opposition a good chance for the Whites to reach the second round for the first time in four years.
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With the West Midlands outfit plying their trade in the fifth tier of English football, Solihull Moors only had to battle through a single round of qualification in order to reach the first-round proper this weekend, with the ARMCO Arena witnessing a convincing display against Biggleswade Town to set up a game with Bolton.
Max Brogan was first onto the scoresheet against Biggleswade before John Lacey restored parity for the visitors, but a sensational second-half hat-trick from Moors attacker Jack Stevens ensured there would be no early upset in the fourth round of qualifying.
Missing out on promotion to League Two because of a playoff-final defeat to Grimsby Town at the London Stadium in 2022 has understandably taken its toll on one of the smallest club's in the National League, and Saturday's visitors could only manage a 15th-placed finish in the fifth tier last season.
Now with former Banbury United boss Andy Whing in charge, Solihull are looking to mount another serious top-seven push this season, and the Moors currently sit fourth in the league standings, already possessing an eight-point buffer over eighth-placed Gateshead, who have fought their way back from regional football in recent years.
Following the high-profile departures of Andrew Dallas and Kyle Hudlin over the past 18 months, Joshua Kelly has stepped up to the goalscoring plate for the Moors, having made the net ripple on eight occasions in 16 National League appearances so far this term, meaning he is joint sixth in the race for the division's Golden Boot.
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Team News
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Bolton will be boosted by the return of striker Carlos Mendes Gomes after injury on Saturday afternoon, with the Spaniard last featuring in the 2-1 victory at home to Derby County back in early September.
It remains to be seen whether Gomes is immediately thrusted into the team, but it is expected that one of top scorer Charles or former Burton Albion man Victor Adeboyejo will be rested, with Evatt having one eye on a league trip to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.
Young centre-back Zac Ashworth remains a doubt as he continues to recover from a calf strain, whilst the Whites will definitely be without the services of Joel Coleman and George Johnston due to ankle and knee issues respectively.
After keeping a clean sheet for the first time in over a month last time out, Bolton will not want to make too many alterations in their backline, although in-form Portuguese defender Ricardo Santos should be rested.
Solihull could rely on their Football League experience to grind out a result on the weekend, with Richard Stearman and Nico Gordon both having played at a higher level in the West Midlands with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City respectively.
The Moors will be without the playmaking presence of midfielder Joe Sbarra, who has not turned out for the National League side since the draw at Oldham Athletic back in March.
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Jones, Forrester, Toal; Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Morley, Williams; Gomes, Adeboyejo
Solihull Moors possible starting lineup:
Boot; Reckford, Storer, Carter, Gudger; Daly, Osborne, Hylton, Blissett; Wright, Kelly
We say: Bolton Wanderers 3-0 Solihull Moors
Bolton have been easing past teams in League One in recent weeks and will be confident of doing the same against a Solihull side who play in the fifth tier.
The Moors have failed to win on their travels since September, and we cannot envisage a cup upset at the Toughsheet Community Stadium this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
