The fight for promotion out of League One is a very intense one. There are a number of sides who could find themselves playing Championship football next season. For the time being though, two of them have to put all that aside as Plymouth Argyle and Bolton Wanderers head to the capital for the Papa Johns Trophy Final.
Wembley Way Welcomes the Papa Johns Trophy Final
Will Form Go Out of the Window?
Recent results have gone the way of Plymouth Argyle, meaning that they retain top spot heading into this momentous weekend. Sheffield Wednesday had two games in hand but against rock-bottom Forest Green Rovers and a resurgent Cheltenham Town, they accumulated just a single point.
Argyle are the side to beat in the third tier and Bolton Wanderers will be hoping that they can do just that, but does form go out of the window for a cup final? The Papa Johns Trophy Final and the competition in general is surrounded by a lot of negativity but when it matters most, the fans are turning up in their thousands to fill the national stadium.
Bolton will fancy their chances to strike gold but Ian Evatt’s side have hit a poor run of form recently, winning just one of their last six league outings. This solitary victory came against Port Vale back in February and since then, they’ve faced stern tests against the likes of Wednesday and Ipswich Town.
🏟️ Wembley awaits
🌆 The city is buzzing
✅ The Gaffer is ready.Read Steven Schumacher's final thoughts before the Papa Johns Trophy final, here. #pafc
— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Argyle) March 31, 2023
When it comes to this competition, both sides have had a fascinating run to the grand finale. The Wanderers left it late at the Wham Stadium in the semi-final even though Accrington Stanley star Sean McConville saw red early on. Prior to that, they edged out Barrow and Portsmouth whilst making light work of two Premier League academy sides.
Plymouth Argyle’s most noteworthy result came in the third round when they were 3-0 down at half-time to AFC Wimbledon. Birmingham City loanee Sam Cosgrove fired home a hat-trick to turn the game on its’ head and the Greens won it via penalties. They also required penalties to get past Cheltenham in the last round, a game which they dominated but were unable to take full advantage of.
Read More: Swansea City Recall Morgan Whittaker From His Plymouth Argyle Loan Spell
Who Will Make the Difference in the Papa Johns Trophy Final?
It has been regularly talked about but the biggest talking point for the Devonian team lies in between the sticks. Michael Cooper has been an integral part of the success enjoyed under Steven Schumacher and so Callum Burton has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He delivered and then some in the aforementioned clash with Cheltenham, saving three penalties in dramatic fashion. Overall though, his attempts to fill Cooper’s shoes have been decent with errors here and there.
In front of Burton will surely be rock-solid defender Dan Scarr. His absence alongside Cooper gave Argyle some real issues but he has returned to the fold in recent games and looks set to play a pivotal role in this Papa Johns Trophy Final. Two players who are set to miss out are James Bolton and Adam Randell.
At the top end of the field, there are plenty of worthy candidates- it was Niall Ennis who led the line in the last round with Danny Mayor and Finn Azaz in and around him. Top scorer Ryan Hardie will have something to say about that though!
Ian Evatt spoke on what will be a proud day for the town of Bolton and the club 💙
Read more from the Manager 👇#bwfc
— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) March 31, 2023
Talking of top scorers and Bolton’s main man Dion Charles will have enjoyed the international break more than most. His club side weren’t in action so he didn’t miss out on anything and meanwhile, he was scoring twice for Northern Ireland. Prior to that he had gone 11 games for his country without a goal so to sweep home twice against San Marino would have been a huge confidence boost.
Former Barnsley and Burton Albion man Victor Adeboyejo has begun to fire on all cylinders for his new club at the expense of Manchester United loanee Shola Shoretire, who has started on the bench in recent outings.
Another very dangerous player at the club on loan is Dan N’Lundulu and so to have the Southampton man waiting in the wings speaks to the depth of the Bolton squad. One other name worth mentioning is a familiar one to Argyle fans in the form of former Exeter City man Randell Williams, a sharp wideman who offers a lot going both ways.
It promises to be a spectacle of a game no matter what your views are on this competition. No U21 sides are under the arch so this will be an old-school EFL clash. Both teams have a lot on their respective plates in the league but to add silverware to that might be too hard to turn down. Who will come out on top in the Papa Johns Trophy Final?
Click here to read all about the other cup final attended by this writer this year!
