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Bolton logo
Championship
Mar 15, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Brighton logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Buckley (13', 65')

Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between in-form Bolton and playoff hopefuls Brighton.

Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to keep their playoff hopes alive when they travel to the Reebok Stadium to take on Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

The Seagulls are currently just two points adrift of sixth-placed Reading with a game in hand over the Royals, although they are also two points behind Wigan Athletic having played a game more than the Latics.

A victory on Saturday could be enough to see them climb into the top six depending on results elsewhere, while it would also extend their unbeaten streak to four games.

Indeed, only in-form Wigan have beaten Brighton since the start of February in the league, and if they can continue that form then they will give themselves a real chance of sneaking into the playoffs.

Oscar Garcia's side boast the league's joint-best defensive record this season having conceded just 28 goals, but it is as the other end where the main problems lie.

They have only found the back of the net 37 times in their 34 matches, which is the lowest total in the top 17 of the table.

The Seagulls have been solid away from home in terms of results, but only Barnsley have scored fewer than the 12 goals they have managed on their travels.

Garcia will welcome Gordon Greer back from suspension and could put him straight back into the starting lineup, but he will still be without Andrew Crofts and Craig Mackail-Smith.

Bolton, meanwhile, have embarked on a fine run of form that should have ended their relegation worries once and for all this season.

Big wins over Blackburn and Leeds were followed up by a decent goalless draw with Derby on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten streak to five games and lifting them up to 16th in the table.

That puts them 11 points clear of the bottom three and, while they have played a game more than a number of the teams below them, it would take a freak set of results for them to be dragged back into the relegation mire.

That should allow Dougie Freedman to start planning for next season, when he will be hoping to launch a bid for the playoffs and potentially promotion back into the Premier League.

The Trotters have only lost one of their last eight league games at the Reebok, while they have won the last two without conceding a goal.

Freedman is still without Marc Tierney and Stuart Holden, who are both long-term injury absentees, but he could bring Joe Mason back into the side.

Recent form

Bolton: LDWWWD

Brighton: DLLWDW

Possible starting lineups

Bolton: Bogdan; Hutton, Knight, Ream, Baptiste; Medo, Spearing; Mason, Danns, Davies; Jutkiewicz

Brighton: Kuszczak; Bruno, Upson, Greer, Ward; Stephens, Andrews; Buckley, Lingard, Lua Lua; Ulloa

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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Oscar Garcia of Brighton looks on during the FA Cup fifth round match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City at Amex Stadium on February 17, 2014
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9Reading137152120122
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12Charlton AthleticCharlton135441514119
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18Northampton TownNorthampton134361720-315
19Wigan AthleticWigan133551211114
20Leyton Orient133281118-711
21Crawley TownCrawley143291225-1311
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge123181117-610
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24Burton Albion130581325-125


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