Ashton 1 Old Boltonians B 3

After conceding 14 goals in three previous games, and with a mandate from the manager to "keep it tight at the back”, the Bolts true to form  found themselves one nil down within 5 minutes!

But despite the setback, the B team got  to grips with a highly keen and energetic Ashton team (who were warming up 45 minutes before the kick off) and took control of the first half.

Andy Beardsworth fresh or not as the case may be, from a night on the tiles looked out of kilter and spurned numerous goal scoring chances that on a good day would have been buried. But he redeemed himself late in a first half, dominated by the Bolts, by putting over an inch perfect cross for the instinctive striker (his words not mine)  Dan Barrett, to leap like a (farmed) salmon to nod past the keeper to equalise. A quality goal which fortunately eclipsed an earlier “Miss of the Century” when Barrett managed to scupper the ball over the bar with the goalmouth gaping like a desperate whore with no knickers.  1-1

By half time and the Bolts looked fresh and confident, blessed by a defence that looked organised and thorough. With the safe and reliable Matt Fray in goals and the “Bricks and Mortar” combination of Dave Morris and Ian Thomasson in central defence, and the ever improving Ross Taylor at right back, the Bolts midfield could start to control the game.

Brooks and Milne stifled the opposition in central midfield, whilst Entwistle and Barrett were released to frolic on the wings. It was only a matter of time before Beardsworth sobered up to single handedly turn the Ashton defence inside out  before slotting the ball home for one of his trademark goals.

But the Bolts didn't miss out on the mandatory goalmouth scares as Timmis and then Barrett managed to clear off the ball off the line to deny Ashton an equaliser.

As Ashton desperately pushed for an equaliser in the dying minutes, the Bolts broke away with Milne making a final swansong  “dash” up the sloping left wing before collapsing with exhaustion in the Ashton box leaving the Boy Brooks to finish off a well worked move by slotting home to cement a convincing victory.