OLD BOLTONIANS...2

BURY GSOB...2

AN 80th minute equaliser from substitute Ian Riggs, rescued a point for the Old Boys after the home side threatened to run riot in the first half.

An unchanged side confidently expected to take the game to their hosts, but were quickly forced onto the back foot by a sharper Bolton team.

It wasn't surprising when they took the lead in the 14th minute with a close range drive, after Bury failed to cut out a corner at the near post.

Indeed, the Old Boys' goal led a charmed life, with desperate defending and appalling finishing somehow keeping the deficit to a single goal. Bury's only bright spot arrived in the 25th minute when Beesley freed Myers for a rising drive turned aside for a corner.

It was all Bolton from this point and they must have wondered how they didn't go in at the break with a four-goal lead.

Haydock replaced the injured Morris at the interval and he quickly posed problems down the right flank as Bury produced some early pressure.

Their reward came in the 54th minute when Myers turned to shoot from close range. Although blocked in the challenge, the ball just carried sufficient momentum to take it over the line for the equaliser.

However, delight turned to despair just two minutes later as Bolton regained the lead with an unchallenged header.

Bury then began to ask questions of the home defence with the introduction of Riggs after 63 minutes.

Finally, Bury levelled with 10 minutes remaining when another strong run from Riggs ended in a foul challenge just outside the box.

Although the free-kick was half cleared, Haydock pulled a perfect cross back from the bye line for Riggs to plant a downward header into the net.

If there was to be a winner at this stage then Bury looked likelier as they pressed forward, keeping the home defence at full stretch.

Yet in the final minute, it was Dave Holland who ensured a share of the spoils with a brave block as Bolton launched a last, unsuccessful bid to break the Bury ranks.

In the corresponding second team fixture, Bolton took the honours in a 2-1 home victory.

The A team came away with an impressive 7-3 victory at Oldham B, although Oldham's A team inflicted a 4-2 defeat on Bury's B side.