OLD Boltonians’ form slipped below the expected standard ahead of their cup final, as they fell to a 3-2 defeat at Whitworth Valley.

Steve Eccleshare’s side were 9-0 winners at Rochdale St Clement’s in their previous league game but Saturday’s defeat – which followed a 4-1 Hospital Cup loss at Atherton Town – means they can still be pipped to second place by Blackrod Town.

Leon Farrimond was on target twice at Valley but Old Bolts shipped three goals as the relegation-threatened hosts collected the three points.

And Eccleshare was in no doubt as to where his players’ minds were, with the Lancashire FA Amateur Cup final to come on Monday.

“As much as you try to get away from it a lot looked like they were saving themselves for the final,” he said.

“So I might have to threaten to play in it myself – I said to them before the game they had to be careful because they (Whitworth) still need points to avoid relegation.

“We have had a lot of games to catch up on in the last few weeks, which is a nightmare but it means you’re having a successful season, so we have played a lot and you could see the tiredness in them. I would have expected the lads to step up but we made a few sloppy mistakes, while Whitworth had Danny Jackson in goal. He’s a lad I know well from the inter-league team, he’s a very good keeper and he had an unbelievable game. We were 2-0 down at half time and we’d been our own worst enemies. We have to regroup now.”

Jackson was eventually beaten twice by Farrimond, who scored his first from a corner that cleared everyone in the box and then a neat lobbed finish provided his second. But it was a performance Eccleshare says has to be bettered this Saturday at Old Blackburnians, given his desire to secure second place in the Premier Division table.

“It’s important to me to finish second,” he insisted. “We have finished first or second in the last few years so I want to at least keep that up, and we could have done that on Saturday because Blackrod only drew.

“I don’t think the lads are that bothered about second if they don’t finish top, a lot didn’t even bother collecting their runners-up medals when we finished second last season.

“We can still lose it so we’ll have to do better against Old Blacks this Saturday. They are down there and need points so that won’t be easy either.

“Southport and Ainsdale Amateurs (their opponents in Monday’s final at Leyland) have got three games to get through before Monday night and I don’t think they have a second team so both teams will have been through a lot of football leading up to the final.

“We will go into the game with confidence, hopefully the big match will get them fired up.”

Blackrod Town completed their home fixtures with a goalless draw against Rochdale St Clement’s. They take on Old Mancunians this Saturday hoping to take a win that could potentially see them finish above Old Bolts.

In Division One Bolton Wyresdale suffered a 5-2 defeat at Prestwich, who missed out on the title due to Roach Dynamos’ victory over Failsworth’s reserves. Wyresdale, who cannot finish higher than fourth, end their campaign at Accrington Amateurs this weekend.

n In the Manchester Football League Division One Jordon Whittle scored the only goal of the game as Bolton County beat Irlam Steel 1-0.

Mark Ormrod’s third-placed side host Atherton Town tonight. They complete the season with home games against Hollinwood and Uppermill.

There was defeat for Breightmet United, who lost 3-0 at Manchester Central on Saturday.

Breightmet have two home games remaining, against Pennington and Altrincham Hale.