A first meeting in the Sky Bet League One between Bolton Wanderers and Cheltenham Town is on the cards this weekend, when the Trotters entertain the Robins.

The newly promoted duo have held their own but could this weekend prove to be a turning point, with Wanderers and their Gloucestershire visitors occupying mid-table berths?

📅 Match details

Wanderers welcome Cheltenham to the University of Bolton Stadium for a 15:00 kick-off in League One.

Named as referee, Ross Joyce will be joined by Graeme Fyvie and Matthew Parry, with Paul Marsden standing in as the fourth official.

👔 At the helm

Trotters boss Ian Evatt made an immediate impression on the Bolton Wanderers’ fanbase after joining from Barrow, guiding the team to a third-place finish in the 2020/21 Sky Bet League Two season, as the Club bounced back at the first time of trying.

For his heroics, the former defender was rewarded with fresh terms in the summer and Evatt is no stranger to a promotion, as Barrow made a return to the EFL for the first time in 48 years under his tutelage. 

Cheltenham manager Michael Duff came full circle when he returned to the Club that handed him his chance as a player at the beginning of his career to take up his first managerial post in the EFL.

Having clocked over 300 appearances for the Robins in his early playing days between 1996 and 2004, the Northern Irishman settled into life back at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium, helping Cheltenham to reach the 2019/20 League Two Play-Off Semi Final in his first full season in charge.

And he went one better the following year, winning promotion to League One and going up as champions, just three points ahead of Evatt’s Wanderers side.

🔑 Key man

After top scorer Oladapo Afolayan picked up a suspension in midweek for Bolton, the goals will have to come from elsewhere for the visit of Cheltenham. Step up, Eoin Doyle. Last season’s top scorer will be looking to add to his goal scored in the midweek win against Doncaster Rovers.

The Irishman is a proven scorer at League One level, having hit double figures in multiple seasons, including 21 goals in 26 games in the 2014/15 season with Chesterfield.

Robins linchpin Matty Blair joined Cheltenham Town from Doncaster Rovers in September 2020, having played in the EFL with the likes of Mansfield Town, York City, Northampton Town, Cambridge United and Fleetwood Town.

The 32-year-old has League Two promotions on CV with Doncaster and Fleetwood Town, but could he add another?

📈 Form guide

Midweek wins for both the Trotters and the Robins saw the two teams move up to 11^th and 10^th place in the League One standings respectively, with Wanderers registering a comfortable 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers, whilst Cheltenham secured maximum points in a 2-0 win against Gillingham.

A single point separates the two teams, with Cheltenham now four unbeaten in the League, coming into the fixture with two wins on the spin. Bolton, meanwhile, boast three wins in their last three home encounters at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Keep up to date with live match updates from this weekend’s featured game by following @SkyBetLeagueOne on Twitter.