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Non-league Eastleigh pegged back at the death by Championship strugglers Bolton
Posted On Jan 10 2016
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The Trotters sit rock bottom of the Championship and are struggling financially, with Clough appearing to be on his way out of the Macron Stadium. Their season has been plagued with financial issues and these have seriously dented their chances of playing Championship football next season.
Arsenal and Manchester City claimed comfortable FA Cup third-round victories on Saturday afternoon, but non-league Eastleigh were denied a famous win late on in their clash with Bolton.
The Silverlake Stadium has been battling against the weather all week and will be packed out for the match against Bolton with more than 5000 expected to turn out.
The rain continued on the already sodden pitch and it was Eastleigh who started the game brightly, with Yemi Odubade and top goalscorer James Constable having the best chances in the opening half an hour.
Bolton Wanderers’ Liam Freeney in action with Eastleigh’s Jai Reason.
The favourites should just have enough to come through this one and Lennon will not be keen to have his side’s confidence crippled by a humiliating cup exit against fifth-tier opposition.
Ipswich Town needed a Ryan Fraser goal two minutes from time to secure a 2-2 draw at home to League Two Portsmouth, who thought they had won it when Conor Chaplin scored in the 86th minute.
With the majority of the 5,000 crowd counting down the minutes, Bolton proved party-poopers with Pratley firing home a loose ball to deny Eastleigh a place in the fourth round for the first time in their 70-year history.
Their last came against Lincoln city in 2014 and if they beat Bolton they cannot only reach the fourth round for the first time, but pick up their fourth FA Cup win.
Richards then became embroiled in a heated pitch-side debate when he stopped to talk with Villa fans after the game, with the supporters clearly angry at their side’s recent awful form. Nevertheless, it is looking highly likely he will not be a Bolton Wanderers player for much longer.
