Bolton Wanderers kept their play-off hopes alive with a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Gillingham on Saturday.

Goals from Aaron MorleyDeclan John and Jon Bodvarsson secured the win for the visitors, whilst Dan Phillips was sent off yet again for Gillingham, who remain in the relegation zone.

Story of the match

First half

Gillingham caused Bolton problems early on with long throws and set pieces, but Dion Charles wasted the first real chance of the game when he fired over from inside the box in the 12th minute.

The forward then missed an absolutely golden opportunity just minutes later. After a shot was deflected into his path, the forward had the goal at his mercy just yards out. Somehow, he side-footed wide, to the jeers of the home fans.

Bolton continued to fly forward and continued to look threatening, but Phillips fired wide for Gillingham as the game approached the half hour mark.

But Bolton did take the lead on 31 minutes. Aaron Morley was fed on the edge of the box and curled an effort past Aaron Chapman into the top left corner, with the ball curling away from goal, for his first Bolton goal.

The away side continued to push but were let down by poor finishing. Neil Harris would have been the happiest of the two managers going into the break, with his side lucky to be trailing only by one.

Second half

After a delated restart following a medical emergency in the away end, Bolton started the second half as they finished the first and Marlon Fossey should have made it 2-0 but was denied by a great block from Max Ehmer inside the area.

Chapman was then on hand to produce a double save as the visitors hunted a second, but the task was made easier when Phillips received his third red card of the season. The Watford loanee received two yellows in four minutes for stopping counter attacks and cost his side yet again here.

And the lead was doubled when Declan John fired past Chapman on 65 minutes. The Gills ‘keeper had originally saved well from Bodvarsson, but John was on hand to score Bolton’s second and put the game beyond Gillingham.

Bolton were pretty much on the beach for the rest of the game, playing around Gillingham with ease and enjoying good movement from their attacking players.

Bodvarsson added a third late on, almost walking the ball into the net after some more neat play from the visitors, and the final whistle was relief for the Gillingham players and fans - they still have work to do if they are to stay in the division, whilst Bolton now have eight wins in their last 11 games, and are full steam ahead towards the top six.

Takeaways from the match

Play-off push not dead for Bolton

Bolton are in mid-table at the moment, but their hopes of a play-off finish aren’t dead in the water just yet.

They attack so well and looked solid at the back here. If they can continue in that vein, they may yet finish inside the top six.

Phillips an issue again

The midfielder is still young - just 21 - but yet again cost his team here with an amateurish red card.

Stopping two counter attacks in a matter of minutes saw his third dismissal of the season, the second identical to this one and the first for violent conduct.

Neil Harris was fuming when Phillips saw red, but with the player, not the decision. Rightly so - he will give him a stern talking to because this simply cannot continue for Gillingham.

Standout players

Declan John

The wing back was the standout man for Bolton here, flying forward down the left at every given opportunity and got himself a goal for his troubles in the second half.

A key player for Bolton in manager Ian Evatt’s system, and he was great on Saturday.

Dan Phillips

Just kidding.

Teams

Gillingham: Chapman, Masterson, Ehmer, Tucker, Jackson, O’Keefe, Phillips, Thompson, Carayol (Reeves 46), Oliver (Kelman 87).

Subs not used: Dahlberg, Maghoma, Tutonda, Lee, Dickson-Peters.

Bolton: Trafford, John, Williams (Thomason 87), Santos, Johnston, Bodvarsson, Charles (Bakayoko 78), Fossey, Aimson, Morley, Afolayan (Sadlier 78).

Subs not used: Dixon, Amaechi, Gordon, Senior.

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