For any young Celtic player out on loan, the goal is simple: make yourself indispensable.
However, for Celtic loanee Johnny Kenny, Saturday’s dramatic afternoon at the Toughsheet Community Stadium provided a much harsher lesson in the ruthless nature of promotion-chasing football.
Starting for Bolton Wanderers against Wycombe, Kenny found himself at the heart of a painful collective first-half performance that saw the League One side head back into the tunnel trailing 2-0.
When Kenny walked off the field in the 81st minute, Bolton were still losing 2-0, before all hell broke loose, and the home side produced an astonishing comeback to win the game.
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Johnny Kenny watches Bolton’s comeback against Wycombe from the bench
Bolton boss Steven Schumacher didn’t hesitate, pulling Kenny off the pitch as part of a tactical reshuffle that fundamentally altered the game’s energy.
In the 88th minute, second-half sub Ruben Rodrigues would pull a goal back, before another sub, Mason Burstow, followed suit three minutes later to level the scores.
And then Corey Blackett-Taylor, who came on at half-time, sent the home fans into delirium by curling his effort from distance into the top corner, as Bolton kept up their hopes of securing promotion to England’s second-tier alive.
From a Celtic perspective, this isn’t just a footnote in a loan spell; it’s a huge learning curve in a bittersweet moment for Kenny.
Kenny’s stats for Bolton against Wycombe
One positive is that Kenny is earning regular starts at Bolton. This was his third in five games, but it remains to be seen if he keeps his place for the Rotherham trip next Saturday.
Perhaps that comeback, and how it all came about, might force Schumacher’s hand to possibly drop the Celtic man.
Nonetheless, after earning himself a rating of over eight against Exeter last time out, Sofascore weren’t so kind this time around towards Kenny.
- Minutes played: 81
- Total shots: 2
- Shots blocked: 1
- Offsides: 2
- Key passes: 1
- Passes in the opposition half: 4/6
- Accurate long balls: 1/2
- Touches: 22
- Unsuccessful touches: 1
- Successful dribbles: 0/2
- Was fouled: 1
- Possession lost: 8
- Progressive carries: 1
- Sofascore rating: 6.2
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