Bolton Wanderers vs Rotherham United

26 December 2025 · League One · 2025/26 · Referee Elliot Bell

Full time 2 – 1

Half-time: 1–0

  • Josh Sheehan 45+1’, 90+3’
  • Sam Nombe 90’ (pen)

Match summary

Bolton Wanderers saw off Rotherham United 2-1, with the winner arriving in stoppage time. Bolton Wanderers led 1-0 at half-time.

Josh Sheehan put Bolton Wanderers ahead from a corner in first-half stoppage time, Sam Nombe equalised from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, and Sheehan won it in stoppage time.

The chances backed that up: Bolton Wanderers created 2.18 expected goals (xG) from 28 shots to Rotherham United's 1.57 from 14.

Match stats

66% Possession 34%
28 Shots 14
12 Shots on target 5
9 Corners 0
572 Passes 296
85.5% Pass accuracy 70.3%
22 Tackles 19
5 Fouls 13
1 Yellow cards 2
1 Offsides 1

Key events

Bolton Wanderers Rotherham United
Kick-off
Josh SheehanShot on target
19’
Joel RandallShot on target
30’
Amario Cozier-DuberryShot on target
30’
Thierry GaleShot on target
32’
33’
Reece JamesShot on target
Amario Cozier-DuberryShot on target
35’
Max ConwayShot on target
41’
Joel RandallShot on target
41’
Thierry GaleShot on target
43’
Josh SheehanRight foot shot1-0 (Bolton Wanderers)
45+1’
Half-time1-0
Second half underway
53’
Sam NombeKion Etete
53’
Jordan HugillDru Yearwood
63’
Ar'Jany MarthaFoul
64’
Reece JamesShot on target
Max ConwayTime wasting
69’
Sam DalbyMarcus Forss
72’
Max ConwayShot on target
73’
81’
Thomas HolmesHamish Douglas
Kyle DempseyJoel Randall
81’
Xavier SimonsEthan Erhahon
81’
84’
Sam NombeShot on target
85’
Jamal BaptisteFoul
85’
Jordan HugillShot on target
Mason BurstowThierry Gale
86’
Mason BurstowShot on target
86’
90’
Sam NombePenalty1-1 (Rotherham United)
Josh SheehanRight foot shot2-1 (Bolton Wanderers)
90+3’
Full-time2-1

How the chances added up

Running total of expected goals (xG) for each side through the match. xG rates each chance by how often similar shots are scored. A goal is marked where it was scored.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 2.18 1.57 45+1’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), 1-0 45+1’ 90’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), 1-1 90’ 90+3’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), 2-1 90+3’ 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 2.18 1.57 45+1’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), 1-0 Sheehan 45+1’ 90’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), 1-1 Nombe 90’ 90+3’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), 2-1 Sheehan 90+3’
Bolton Wanderers 2.18 xGRotherham United 1.57 xG Goal

Tap a goal for the scorer and score.

Shot map

Every shot and where it was taken from.

 Rotherham United attacking Bolton Wanderers attacking 
90’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), penalty, 0.79 xG, goal 30’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.43 xG, saved 78’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.39 xG, off target 60’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.23 xG, off target 90+3’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.23 xG, goal 30’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.13 xG, saved 73’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.11 xG, saved 90+4’ Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 44’ Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.08 xG, off target 28’ Kion Etete (Rotherham United), open play, 0.08 xG, off target 13’ Ar'Jany Martha (Rotherham United), open play, 0.07 xG, off target 43’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.07 xG, saved 74’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), set piece, 0.07 xG, blocked 44’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.07 xG, blocked 4’ Joe Powell (Rotherham United), open play, 0.06 xG, off target 41’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.06 xG, saved 41’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.05 xG, saved 44’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.05 xG, blocked 32’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), set piece, 0.05 xG, saved 44’ Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.04 xG, blocked 85’ Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United), open play, 0.04 xG, saved 90+6’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.04 xG, off target 19’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), direct free kick, 0.04 xG, saved 35’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 44’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.04 xG, blocked 57’ George Johnston (Bolton Wanderers), set piece, 0.04 xG, blocked 59’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.04 xG, off target 71’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.04 xG, blocked 64’ Reece James (Rotherham United), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 86’ Mason Burstow (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 33’ Reece James (Rotherham United), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 46’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.03 xG, goal 65’ Marcus Forss (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, blocked 75’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 39’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.02 xG, blocked 44’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.02 xG, blocked 73’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 43’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 84’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.02 xG, saved 11’ Kion Etete (Rotherham United), set piece, 0.01 xG, off target 51’ Joe Powell (Rotherham United), open play, 0.01 xG, off target 59’ Cyrus Christie (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.01 xG, blocked 90’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), penalty, 0.79 xG, goal 30’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.43 xG, saved 78’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.39 xG, off target 60’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.23 xG, off target 90+3’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.23 xG, goal 30’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.13 xG, saved 73’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.11 xG, saved 90+4’ Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 44’ Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.08 xG, off target 28’ Kion Etete (Rotherham United), open play, 0.08 xG, off target 43’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.07 xG, saved 13’ Ar'Jany Martha (Rotherham United), open play, 0.07 xG, off target 74’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), set piece, 0.07 xG, blocked 44’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.07 xG, blocked 41’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.06 xG, saved 4’ Joe Powell (Rotherham United), open play, 0.06 xG, off target 41’ Joel Randall (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.05 xG, saved 44’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.05 xG, blocked 32’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), set piece, 0.05 xG, saved 44’ Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.04 xG, blocked 90+6’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.04 xG, off target 85’ Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United), open play, 0.04 xG, saved 19’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), direct free kick, 0.04 xG, saved 44’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.04 xG, blocked 59’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.04 xG, off target 71’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.04 xG, blocked 35’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 57’ George Johnston (Bolton Wanderers), set piece, 0.04 xG, blocked 64’ Reece James (Rotherham United), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 86’ Mason Burstow (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 33’ Reece James (Rotherham United), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 65’ Marcus Forss (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, blocked 46’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.03 xG, goal 75’ Thierry Gale (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 39’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.02 xG, blocked 44’ Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers), from a corner, 0.02 xG, blocked 73’ Max Conway (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 84’ Sam Nombe (Rotherham United), open play, 0.02 xG, saved 43’ Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 11’ Kion Etete (Rotherham United), set piece, 0.01 xG, off target 51’ Joe Powell (Rotherham United), open play, 0.01 xG, off target 59’ Cyrus Christie (Bolton Wanderers), open play, 0.01 xG, blocked
Size shows xG Goal On target Off target or blocked

Hover or tap a shot for the player, minute and xG.

Lineups

Bolton Wanderers 4-2-3-1 Starting XI
Sharman-Lowe
Conway
Toal
Johnston
Christie
Erhahon 81’
Sheehan 2
Gale 86’
Cozier-Duberry
Randall 81’
Forss 72’
Rotherham United 3-5-2 Starting XI
Dawson
Baptiste
Douglas 81’
Jules
James
Yearwood 53’
Powell
Gore
Hall
Etete 53’
Martha

Player stats

Goalkeeper1 player
Teddy Sharman-Lowe
90′ 4 1 42 – – – – –
Defenders4 players
Cyrus Christie
90′ 2 2 – 6 1 63 1 – – –
Eoin Toal
90′ 2 2 – 4 2 94 – – – –
George Johnston
90′ 3 – – 8 4 86 – – – –
Max Conway
90′ 2 – – 5 1 63 – – –
Midfielders7 players
Josh Sheehan
90′ 2 – 67 3 0.19 1 2 1 1 – –
Ethan Erhahon Taken off
81′ – – 53 1 0.06 4 1 8 – 1 –
Amario Cozier-Duberry
90′ – 1 41 2 0.53 – – 5 – – –
Joel Randall Taken off
81′ – – 27 2 0.08 3 – 6 1 1 –
Thierry Gale Taken off
86′ – – 15 2 0.12 1 – 5 – 4 –
Xavier Simons Came on as a substitute
9′ – – 4 – 0.00 2 – 2 – – –
Kyle Dempsey Came on as a substitute
9′ – – 3 – 0.00 1 – 1 – – –
Forwards3 players
Marcus Forss Taken off
72′ – – 1 – 0.03 0.01 – 3 2 5 –
Sam Dalby Came on as a substitute
18′ – – – – – 0.00 1 4 1 6 –
Mason Burstow Came on as a substitute
11′ – – 1 1 0.03 0.00 – – – 3 –
Came on Taken off Sent off Red is the most in that position for the team

Every player who took the pitch, starters first and then substitutes. A dash means none. xG and xA are expected goals and assists.

Before kick-off

Bolton Wanderers win 68% Avg odds 1.39
Draw 21% Avg odds 4.40
Rotherham United win 11% Avg odds 8.28

Chances implied by the average closing odds, with the bookmaker margin removed.

Form going into the game

Bolton Wanderers DDWWL
Rotherham United DDLLL

Last five league games before this one, oldest first. Select one to open it.

Previous and next meeting

 Previous meeting: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Rotherham United, 08 Apr 25 Next meeting: Rotherham United 2-2 Bolton Wanderers, 14 Mar 26  All Bolton Wanderers vs Rotherham United meetings

Shots, expected goals, timeline, lineups, team and player statistics from Bzzoiro Sports Data (sports.bzzoiro.com). Results and odds from football-data.co.uk.