It is five years since Bolton Wanderers last played Championship football and now under manager Ian Evatt, they are one win away from returning to the second tier but only after surviving against an inspired Barnsley side.
Bolton will take on Peterborough or Oxford next Saturday in the League One Play-off final at Wembley.
Interim boss Martin Devaney had called on his Barnsley side to take inspiration from Sheffield Wednesday’s comeback against Peterborough last season though having gone winless in their previous seven, it was always going to be a tough ask to pull back a two-goal deficit against the team with the best home record in the division.
Yet when Sam Cosgrove headed in to give the visitors the lead, the comeback was on.
Bolton hit back with two goals in three minutes before half-time to all but put the tie to bed as Aaron Collins smashed one in from long range before Eoin Toal’s header sent the 20,000-plus Bolton fans into ecstasy.
Bolton forward Aaron Collins smashed one in from long range in the 43rd minute
Eoin Toal nodded in from a corner just before the break to establish a three-goal cushion
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Barnsley levelled on the night through Adam Phillips in the 64th minute and with 15 minutes to go, Cosgrove pulled another one back to set up a nervy finish but Evatt’s side held on.
