Bolton Wanderers 1-5 Middlesbrough: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Championship Matchday 12 · Friday 23 October 2026 · University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton · referee S. Hooper · full time
Full time: Bolton Wanderers 1-5 Middlesbrough
Bolton Wanderers 1-5 Middlesbrough: Middlesbrough took the points in Championship Matchday 12 on Friday 23 October 2026 at University of Bolton Stadium. The goals: Aidan Morris 13', Will Lankshear 31', Theo Bair 45+2', Amario Cozier-Duberry 73', Will Lankshear 78'.
How Middlesbrough won it
The opening goal came in the 13th minute: Aidan Morris for Middlesbrough, set up by Amario Cozier-Duberry. Will Lankshear made it 0-2 to Middlesbrough in the 31st minute, set up by Tommy Conway. An own goal by Lewis Brunt made it 0-3 to Middlesbrough in the 39th minute. Theo Bair made it 1-3 to Bolton Wanderers in the 45th minute (+2), set up by Gaizka Larrazabal. Amario Cozier-Duberry made it 1-4 to Middlesbrough in the 73rd minute, set up by Riley McGree. Will Lankshear made it 1-5 to Middlesbrough in the 78th minute, set up by Riley McGree.
It was 1-3 at half-time.
Will Lankshear scored twice.
The referee, S. Hooper, showed 1 yellow card: 1 to Bolton Wanderers and 0 to Middlesbrough.
Bolton Wanderers: S. Schumacher, 4-2-3-1 · Middlesbrough: K. Hellberg, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 3.51 for Bolton Wanderers and 0.68 for Middlesbrough.
Bolton Wanderers scored about 2.5 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.
Middlesbrough made more of their chances than the xG suggests, by about 4.3 goals.
Bolton Wanderers created the better chances, 3.51 xG to 0.68, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Bolton Wanderers had 4 shots on target, Middlesbrough 12.
Bolton Wanderers's goalkeeper made 8 saves.
Middlesbrough had 61% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Bolton Wanderers came into it with 12 Championship matches played, scoring 1.3 and conceding 1.9 a match, with 1.37 expected goals for and 2.00 against, and had won 33% of their matches.
Middlesbrough came into it with 12 Championship matches played, scoring 2.3 and conceding 1.4 a match, with 2.10 expected goals for and 1.07 against, and had won 58% of their matches.
Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough: the match in numbers
| Bolton Wanderers | Match statistics | Middlesbrough |
|---|---|---|
| 39% | Ball possession | 61% |
| 3.51 | Expected goals (xG) | 0.68 |
| 12 | Total shots | 31 |
| 4 | Shots on target | 12 |
| 0 | Big chances | 6 |
| 366 | Total passes | 559 |
| 84% | Pass accuracy | 89% |
| 2 | Corners | 12 |
| 9 | Fouls | 9 |
| 0 | Offsides | 4 |
| 12 | Tackles | 10 |
| 8 | Saves | 3 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), rated 8.6 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.
Bolton Wanderers
- Gavin Bazunu 7.6
- Theo Bair 7.0 1 goal
- Rúben Rodrigues 6.9
- Lewis Brunt 6.6
- Sam Dalby 6.6
Middlesbrough
- Aidan Morris 8.6 1 goal
- Will Lankshear 8.5 2 goals
- Riley McGree 8.5 2 assists
- Amario Cozier-Duberry 8.2 1 goal, 1 assist
- Tommy Conway 7.7 1 assist
The lowest-rated starter was Akin Famewo at 6.1. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Bolton Wanderers: Bolton Wanderers vs Bristol City Saturday 31 October 2026 · Championship
- Middlesbrough: Middlesbrough vs Charlton Athletic Saturday 31 October 2026 · Championship
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough
What was the score in Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?
Bolton Wanderers 1-5 Middlesbrough (half-time 1-3), Championship, Friday 23 October 2026.
Who scored in Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?
Aidan Morris 13', Will Lankshear 31', Theo Bair 45+2', Amario Cozier-Duberry 73', Will Lankshear 78'.
Did Moneyball predict Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?
Aidan Morris, rated 8.6 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Bolton Wanderers vs Middlesbrough?
S. Hooper.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.