Bolton 4 – 1 Stockport

Bolton sealed their return to the Championship after seven years by beating Stockport 4-1 at Wembley.

The Trotters, who have been mired in League Two during their time since finishing in the second tier, finally qualified for the League One play-offs for the third time at the last four years.

Ruben Rodrigues scored their first goal early on, before Adama Sidibeh equalized for Stockport moments later after another was ruled out by VAR.

A Kyle Wootton goal restored Bolton’s lead in the second half, while Sam Dalby added a third and Rodriguez scored a second from the penalty spot after Josh Dacres-Cogley was sent off for a hair-pull in the box, again awarded by VAR.

Bolton beat Stockport in the second half to increase the scoring

Others started at Wembley. With less than three minutes on the clock they were ahead of Bolton. Rodriguez scored after Stockport goalkeeper Corey Addai failed to deal with a shot from distance.

But Stockport responded well, and thought they had equalized when Sidibeh ran and found the net on 11 minutes. But it was deemed that George Johnston tripped when he passed by VAR, and it was overruled.

However, Sidibeh was not to be denied again. On the half hour he headed in a corner from Odin Bailey’s cross.

Bolton came back and took the lead midway through the second half. A sudden attack saw Cozier-Duberry’s shot deflected by Addai into Wootton’s path, and the makeshift defender was unable to get his feet back before heading it into the back of his own net.

And the win was sealed late for Dalby’s bicycle kick, and with Rodriguez’s late penalty, Dacres-Cogley was dismissed for pulling Ibrahim Cissoko’s hair.

Schumacher: That’s exactly what we deserve

Bolton manager Steven Schumacher speaking to Sky Sports:

“It was really difficult, especially in the first half, the heat and the conditions. I just said to the players going into the break, our intensity must increase a little when we have the ball and when we don’t have the ball.

“If we can make a few more passes, trouble Stockport and enter the final third, we will be able to build.

“In the second half, I thought we were smart.

“It’s all a pleasure. Being the manager of Bolton Wanderers, that kind of pressure is a privilege.

“I knew what I was getting into when I arrived at this football club. We have worked hard, we have been here for 18 months now and everyone has come together to get us there.

“It’s exactly what we deserve.”

Key moment: ‘Dalby’s introduction changed the game’

In the end it was the options from the bench that made the biggest difference, and indeed Steven Schumacher could turn to Dalby to start after an hour.

Introduced with the game still deadlocked at 1-1, he provided key moments to turn the game in Bolton’s favour.

Andy Hinchcliffe on Sky Sports Football:

“The Bolton players take all the credit because they go out and do the job, but Steven Schumacher was brought to Bolton to raise the standard, to make it happen.

“There was a lot of pressure. This is a big football team and he did very well.

“That decision to send on Sam Dalby, to go from 1-1 to 3-1 changed the course of the game.

“Study Dalby for his influence, but credit Schumacher for bringing him in at the right time.”

Lincoln manager Michael Skubala on Sky Sports Football:

“I think the timing was right. The heat was taking it out of the players, but it was an attacking change and to get two No 9s on the pitch against Ethan Pye and Kyle Wootton, you could see how the game changed.

“It may have been a little too direct, but that’s what the game needed.

“It took the game away from Stockport and, from there, it was only going to be one win.”