Bolton enjoy playing host to Cardiff, having won 13 of their last 14 league meetings at Toughsheet Community Stadium against the Bluebirds – a run which stretches back to 1974.
There was also a strong sense of deja vu about Saturday’s lunchtime win for the Trotters, who beat Cardiff in almost identical fashion last season.
Flashback to 11 months ago, and both sides were fighting for promotion in League One, with Cardiff sitting top of the table as they travelled to Lancashire.
Once again the game looked destined to end goalless, only for Amario Cozier-Duberry – now of Middlesbrough – to score a 94th-minute winner for the hosts.
Both side’s ultimately secured promotion back to the Championship, but the change in tier had no impact on the result, with Gale’s header proving the difference on this occasion.
Bolton’s second win of the season helps lift them out of the bottom three and up to 17th, while Cardiff have much to ponder after losing another game which they could easily have won.
Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy called for his side to be more clinical ahead of Saturday’s game, having watched his Bluebirds side lead the Championship for number of shots despite not winning a single game.
Saturday’s defeat by Bolton will have only added to the concerns, with a number of players guilty of wasting quality chances.
Cardiff’s next opportunity to find a first league win of the season comes next Saturday as they host Charlton Athletic, while Bolton travel to Norwich the following day.