Bolton Wanderers beat ten-men Stockport County 4-1 in the League One Play-Off Final to secure a place in the 2026-27 Championship.
Kyle Wootton’s 64th-minute own-goal, 81st-minute acrobatic kick from Sam Dalby and Ruben Rodrigues’ 94th-minute penalty – following Josh Dacres-Cogley’s red card for a hair pull on Ibrahim Cissoko – saw Bolton clinch a second-tier return for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Rodrigues initially fired Bolton into a third-minute lead from a tame deflective clearance, before Adama Sidibeh equalised with a 29th minute header – after his first goal was disallowed for a trip on George Johnston.
The result meant that Bolton claimed their third EFL Play-Off title, although it’s their first such title at League One level, with their two previous Play-Off titles having came at the second-tier level.
Despite scorching temperatures around Wembley Stadium as London sizzled in 30-degree heat, Stockport started on the front foot with a quick attack which came to nothing.
Bolton had grinded out a pair of clinical 1-0 wins over Bradford in their play-off semi-final and showed their quality in their first attack, which saw Thierry Gale’s low shot towards his near-bottom left corner fumbled by Corey Addai.
Mason Burstow however was alert to follow up the rebound but a Stockport defender blocked his out out for Rodrigues to thump in on the Trotters’ second rebound attempt to put them ahead in the third minute.
Stockport however equalised in the 11th minute from a long ball which fell for Sidibeh who beat Johnston to the delivery, albeit with a clip on the Bolton defender before he smashed into the left corner from a tight angle.
VAR however controversially disallowed the goal two minutes later after referee – Josh Smith had reviewed Sidibeh’s clip on Johnston.
Dave Challinor’s Hatters proceeded to dominate possession thereafter and got a deserved equaliser in the 29th minute after Odin Bailey swung a deep cross into the box, which Sidibeh softly nodded into the bottom-left corner to restore parity.
Both teams subsequently exchanged chances as the first half wore on but couldn’t find a second goal before half time in the heat.
Bolton however looked revitalised early in the second half as Josh Sheehan saw a 48th-minute shot blocked, before Rodrigues curled a shot wide of the right corner seven minutes later from Gale’s cutback pass inside the box.
Stockport’s resistance eventually was undone by a forward pass from Dalby which Cozier-Duberry latched onto with a flicked shot towards the left corner, yet Wootton fumbled his clearance into the back of his own net to restore Bolton’s lead.
Bolton nearly secured promotion from a 78th-minute header by Chris Forino-Joseph but Addai saved the attempt,
Steven Schumacher’s Trotters eventually weren’t denied their third goal just three minutes later as Dalby acrobatically flicked John McAtee’s header in from close range to seal their return to the Championship after a seven-season absence.
Stockport’s heartbreak was further compounded after Dacres-Cogley was red carded in the 92nd minute for a hair pull on Cissoko, which saw Rodrigues complete his brace with a 94th-minute penalty down the middle towards the right corner as Addai dived to the opposite side.
Teams
Stockport: Corey Addai, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Kyle Wootton, Ethan Pye, Tayo Edun (Connolly 95′), Odin Bailey, Oliver Norwood, Ben Osborn (Mothersille 81′), Josh Stokes (Andresson 65′), Adama Sidibeh (Olaofe 65′), Louie Barry (Diamond 65′)
Substitutes: Benony Breki Andresson, Callum Connolly, Jack Diamond, Lewis Fiorini, Ben Hinchcliffe, Malik Mothersille, Isaac Olaofe
Bolton: Jack Bonham, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Chris Forino-Joseph, George Johnston, Max Conway (Christie 76′), Josh Sheehan, Xavier Simons (Dalby 62′), Amario Cozier-Duberry, Ruben Rodrigues, Thierry Gale (Cissoko 72′), Mason Burstow (McAtee 72′)
Substitutes: Cyrus Christie, Ibrahim Cissoko, Sam Dalby, Kyle Dempsey, Ethan Erhahon, David Harrington, John McAtee
Referee – Josh Smith
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