The second leg of the League One play-off semi-final between Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers is finely poised as the two sides prepare to meet at Oakwell on Friday.
Barnsley will no doubt be the happier of the two sides coming into this second leg tie having avoided defeat with the scores level at 1-1.
Nicky Cadden opened the scoring for The Tykes midway into the second half only for Bolton to equalise minutes later, but any disappointment lingering from that game should have diminished by now in the knowledge that they are well and truly in the driver's seat.
Barnsley will feel as though they demonstrated their superiority int he first leg having registered nineteen shots on goal to Bolton's five, and through that will probably feel they should have emerged with a first leg lead.
There is some concern over Barnsley's form overall with The Tykes now four games without a win, but they showed enough in that first leg to suggest they are well capable of getting the job done.
They've lost their last two games on home soil but their home form prior to that was very impressive, with Michael Duff's side winning their prior nine games on the bounce on home soil.
Barnsley are the clear favourites to progress to Wembley but they won't have it easy.
Bolton Wanderers will be disappointed not to have taken a first leg lead and capitalised on home advantage, but they're still well in this tie as they come to Oakwell needing a win in order to advance to the final.
Manager Ian Evatt believes the away leg will suit his side better and that his men were slightly nervous in response to the pressure of needing to capitalise on home advantage having seen Peterborough batter Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 the night before.
Bolton are in good shape overall too, having won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches.
Their form away from home has been impressive, too, as they enter this game unbeaten in their last five on the road having won three of their last four.
These sides have now met four times this season with both sides winning one each while the other two ended a draw, but only one of those games took place at Oakwell where Bolton ran out 3-0 winners in the FA Cup so that could be a huge confidence boost for The Trotters ahead of this one.
This game is a tough one to call but the away side will be quietly confident.
For our Barnsley vs. Bolton prediction, we're going for a 2-1 win for the away side.
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