BWFC Scotland - Match Report

CHARLTON Quentin Injured Fortune

ATHLETIC (4-4-2): T Myhre — L Young, T El Karkouri (sub: O Sankofa, 82min), J Fortune, H Hreidarsson — R Kishishev (sub: D Rommedahl, 88), M Holland, B Hughes, J Thomas (sub: D Ambrose, 38) — M Bent, J F Hasselbaink. Substitutes not used: S Andersen, A John.

BOLTON WANDERERS (4-5-1): I Walker — N Hunt, A Meïté, T Ben Haim, H Pedersen (sub: J Fojut, 74) — S Giannakopoulos, T Andranik (sub: J Smith, 56), G Speed (sub: I Campo, 63), I Tal, R Vaz Té — K Davies. Substitutes not used: A Al Habsi, S Jamieson. Booked: Ben Haim.

Sam admitted he was "gutted" by our Carling Cup exit at Charlton and blamed poor finishing for the 1-0 defeat. Marcus Bent rifled home Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's precision 17th-minute cross to give Charlton a lead they never relinquished. Hermann Hreidarsson had two opportunities to extend the advantage but missed both simple headers in a first half controlled by the Addicks. And call me simple, but I just don't feel comfortable when Crispy Walker is in the nets.......

We launched our onslaught after the interval by over-running the midfield and laying siege to their opponents' goal. Davo and Tal Ben Haim - among others - allowed chances to go begging and Charlton held on to book a fourth-round trip to Chesterfield, who beat West Ham on Tuesday. Same old familiar story.....

At the end, Sam said: "We should have won, there's no question about that. We created enough clear-cut opportunities in the second half to finish them."What was a lucky ground for us has become an unlucky ground because that was our second successive defeat here this season."You only get one chance in the cup and now we're out of it. Our winning run has come to an end when it shouldn't have done. "I was desperate for this match to go into extra time because I think we would have won it then. "I have to be critical and tell the lads they threw the game away with their finishing but everything else was excellent." Big Sam is well pissed off

The other disturbing thing is that Quentin Fortune picked up another knock in training on Tuesday and will probably miss the United game at the weekend. Apparently this time it's his calf. I didn't know he was a farmer.

Well at least we can now concentrate more of our efforts onto the ultimate prize and number one priority, the Premier League. Let's hope that the sacrifice of the Carling Cup gets us at least a point from the United game at the weekend.

To see more pictures CLICK HERE.

In contrast, last week Jussi Jaaskelainen became the hero of the day when in the space of four minutes with two penalty saves. Maybe it was the first time that his name made the headlines around the globe. But actually the Finnish custodian has no need of that as he has the love of Bolton fans. He is their all-time goalkeeping hero, serving the Premiership side for almost a decade, and no one can change that.

Born in 1975, Jaaskelainen made his debut with MP Mikkeli in 1992 but only after two years did he become the club’s first-choice stopper. In 1996 he moved to VPS Vaasa where he stayed for just one and a half seasons, as in November 1997 Bolton Wanderers signed him for a fee of £100,000. A real bargain… because for the next ten years he would be their unquestioned savior.

At international level, Jaaskelainen made his debut for the Finnish national team in 1998 against Malta. He was Finland's second choice behind Antti Niemi for years, but when Niemi retired from international football in 2005, he finally became the number one.
Soon after his arrival in England he made himself the number one choice of Trotters’ coaches thanks to new manager Sam Allardyce, who immediately put his faith in Jaaskelainen when taking over from Colin Todd in October 1999. Bolton saw a much more assured keeperthan the one who had previously suffered a loss of confidence some six months previously.
Jaaskelainen helped the club reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, League Cup and First Division Play-Offs, only to see them be defeated on all three occasions.

A cruciate ligament injury he suffered, though, during their promotion season 2000/01, kept him away for some time.

In October 2001, however, as the club was embarked on a Premiership season, he was back to his best for their return to the top flight. Indeed he was that good that he was voted the best goalkeeper in the Premiership for season 2002/03.

Jaaskelainen was ever present in the side throughout the 2003/04 season, something he continued in the 2004/05 campaign, so playing an integral part in Bolton’s qualification for the UEFA Cup.

Such form continued in the 2005/06 season and now, before half of the new season has passed, Jaaskelainen shows that he wants very much to help Bolton be established as one of the top-flight’s top outfits. He will continue to give a hard time to his opponents, whether they attempt to score from the spot or from any possible angle and distance.

Match report by the Editor (who really can't be arsed writing them when we lose!)

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