In front of a sell‑out 26,262 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Bolton secured their first Sky Bet Championship victory since March 2019 with a 2-1 win over Preston. Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale opened the scoring in the first half, with Dalby netting a powerful left‑footed shot from 18 yards and Gale cutting in from the left for a curling finish. Preston’sántique Jusef Erabi later added a headed goal from a cross by Andrija Vukcevic, but a late miss from Liam Lindsey denied the visitors a chance to level.

Under Steven Schumacher, Bolton dominated the early stages, while Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston squad struggled to find rhythm. Despite multiple chances, including a missed opportunity by Dalby in the 73rd minute, Bolton’s defense held firm, leaving the visitors to finish the game on the back foot.

The result positions Bolton firmly in the upper half of the Championship table and gives them momentum heading into the next fixtures, while Preston will look to regroup and secure points in upcoming matches.