Barnsley struggled towards the end of the season but managed to cling on to sixth spot, while Bolton missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season.
Barnsley vs Bolton Betting Tips
- Bolton to win & BTTS @ 3/1 with bet365
- Aaron Collins to score @ 7/4 with bet365
- Luca Connel to be booked @ 2/1 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change
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Wanderers seeking Wembley date
Bolton will see their failure to finish ahead of Derby as an opportunity missed as they had their automatic promotion hopes firmly in their own hands just a few weeks ago, but a run of three draws in their final four games means they now have to navigate their way through the lottery of the play-offs.
Barnsley managed to see off Wanderers at this stage last season but it could be a very different story this year. The Tykes come into the game in woeful form as they are winless in six, losing four of those games, while Bolton are on a seven-game unbeaten run.
Wanderers are the form team here and they can use their momentum to seize a first-leg lead at Oakwell on Friday. Ian Evatt’s men did find wins hard to come by on their travels towards the end of the season but this Barnsley side look vulnerable, having conceded 13 goals across their final six games, and Bolton should have enough firepower to get the job done.
However, the Tykes can at least keep this tie interesting by grabbing a goal of their own. Barnsley may be winless in six but they have scored in all of those games - and they have only failed to score in one of their last 18 home assignments, so an away win with goals at both ends appeals.
Barnsley vs Bolton Tip 1: Bolton to win & BTTS @ 3/1 with bet365
Collins could be Bolton’s danger man
Dion Charles has been a reliable scorer for Bolton this season but he has only just returned to the fold after a stint on the sidelines, so the bigger price on a goal for in-form Aaron Collins may be the better option.
Collins took a little while to settle after joining from Bristol Rovers in the winter window but hit his stride in the final weeks of the campaign.
The forward has scored in four of his last six appearances, hitting six goals in total, and he could well be the man to break Barnsley’s hearts this week.
Barnsley vs Bolton Tip 2: Aaron Collins to score anytime @ 7/4 with bet365
Connell looks a card contender
Luca Connell came through the youth system at Bolton but only made a handful of appearances before he joined Celtic, where he failed to make a single senior appearance before joining Barnsley.
The midfielder tends to put in big performances against his former club but that does occasionally lead to becoming overly physical. Connell picked up eight yellow cards in 24 League One games for Barnsley, one of which came against Bolton, so he seems a reasonable contender to be shown a card in the first leg of this semi-final tie.
Barnsley vs Bolton Tip 3: Luca Connell to be booked @ 2/1 with bet365