Bolton Wanderers will have to earn their place in the second round of the FA Cup when they travel to Stockport County on 16th November for their first round replay.

Eoin Doyle made it two in two in the 33rd minute before Elias Kachunga's first goal for the club gave the Trotters the lead. County rallied however and levelled just before half time and that was how it finished at The UniBol.

Antoni Sarcevic, who recently left Bolton for Stockport in the National League, was not involved and Doyle explained why that was when he spoke to The Bolton News.

He said: "He is a good friend of mine. I think there was an agreement that he wasn’t going to play, I don’t know, but I wish him all the best, definitely.

"It was very quick, very sudden. And with the window being closed it was something I have never seen before. But football is a mad old sport and they say a week is a long time in this sport. But life goes on, we move on.

"It is a young squad here and George Thomason gets that opportunity – I think he will be a big player for us, going forward."

It will be interesting to see if Sarcevic is involved in the replay with the FA Cup a potentially lucrative competition for both clubs this season.

The Verdict

 

 

Doyle has failed to score in his last nine in League One, therefore finding the net in each of the Trotters' last two in the Football League Trophy and the FA Cup should give him a much needed confidence boost going into the club's hosting of Crewe Alexandra on Friday evening.

Sarcevic could prove to be a hammer blow to Wanderers' top six hopes this term with Ricardo Santos stepping up to take the armband. As a senior player Doyle too will have to take on additional leadership responsibilities and leading from the front and addressing his goal drought is a good place to start.

The Crewe match is must win on Friday to end the Trotters' five game winless run in the third tier.