Bolton Wanderers started off their pre-season schedule in style last night by beating Longridge Town 9-0.
Wanderers took the lead in the first half through Kyle Dempsey, before Elias Kachunga fired home a second not long after. Amadou Bakayoko added a sublime third before half-time.
Ian Evatt changed his side completely for the second half and made 11 changes. Striker Dion Charles bagged a brace and was teed up by Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley on both occasions.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers player ratings vs Longridge Town: Bradley & Iredale's impressive debuts
George Johnston scored Bolton's sixth before Charles completed his hat trick from the penalty spot after Bradley had been brought down. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Dapo Afolayan also found the back of the net as Wanderers secured victory in emphatic fashion.
Wanderers have many more pre-season friendlies coming up, and are next in action on Saturday afternoon against Chorley. Reflecting and analysing the win over Longridge, here's five plus points we picked up from the big victory.
Iredale slots nicely into back three
Jack Iredale made his debut in the first half for Wanderers following his summer free transfer from Cambridge United. He lined up in defence alongside Will Aimson and Ricardo Santos.
The defender lined up on the left of a back three. He is happy to be playing anywhere on the left-hand side of the pitch.
And it was an opportunity he took full advantage of and looked good in the left of a back three. He was comfotable in possession and not afraid to pass through the lines in order to find his team mates.
He had a hand in the first two goals with his positive forward passing. Wanderers expect their defenders to be comfortable in possession and progressive and Iredale gave a great first indication of what he can do.
Dempsey offers glimpse of what he can do
Dempsey perhaps did not show his best in a Wanderers jersey after joining from Gillingham in the second half of last season. Injuries and central midfield competition limited the former Huddersfield Town man to 11 appearances in the second half of last campaign.
Now back fit, the midfielder was handed a starting place against Longridge in the first half. It was an opportunity he certainly took and looked impressive.
He opened the scoring and was denied a second by James Aspinall not long after. He later set up Kachunga for Bolton's second.
Dempsey is keen to solidify his position at Wanderers after his first five months or so at the club. Last night's showing was a clear showing of what he can do.
Bradley's impressive right wing-back showing
Conor Bradley came on the for the second half for his debut in a Bolton shirt. He will be spending the season on loan from Liverpool.
He went to the right wing-back position and made an instant impact. He essentially grabbed three assists with goals for Northern Ireland team mate Charles.
Wanderers had made Bradley a target in January, but have managed to acquire his signature for this season. His 45 minute showing against the non-league side gave an exciting and tantalising view into what the teenager will offer Wanderers over the next 12 months.
Charles sharp in front of goal
Charles came on for the second half of the clash against the Ridge as part of 11 changes made by Ian Evatt. It was quite the 45 minutes from the striker.
Having ended a goal drought at the end of last season with a brace against Fleetwood Town, including a remarkable strike with a slide tackle goal from the halfway line, it did not take long for Charles to be back among the goals. The second half was bearly 10 minutes old before he got his first with a clincial finish.
That was set up by Bradley and the Liverpool loanee would go on to set up the next two. The defender put in a low cross which Charles slotted home for his second, before the teenager went down in the box and the striker finished clinically.
That gave Charles the match ball with his first hat trick in a Wanderers shirt. Like the rest of the team, Charles looked sharp and it is encounraging ahead of the new season.
True strength in depth in squad shown
Wanderers played two different teams either side of half-time at Longridge. It gave the chance for whole available first team squad to get some minutes under their belt.
Perhaps an indication of the strength of the squad now, which was changed in January and augmented this summer, was how strong both teams were. This was illustrated by the 9-0 scoreline when, 12 months ago when Wanderers last travelled to take on Longridge, they won 3-1.
It has been mentioned many times before, but Wanderers have true strength in depth now where there is not a great deal of drop off when changes are made, if any at all. Consider that MJ Williams, Josh Sheehan and Lloyd Isgrove were not involved last night either and it is an exciting prospect indeed.
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