Bolton Hockey Club’s men’s firsts began the penultimate month of the North West Men’s Three South season in positive fashion with a 3-1 home win against Rochdale firsts.

The hosts began better with some good ball moved around the back before embarking on attacks.

It wasn’t long before their good play brought about the first goal of the game when some free-flowing hockey was finished off by Sam Robinson.

Rochdale struggled to get into the game much in the first half and it ended at 1-0.

The visitors came out renewed in the second period, pushing for an equaliser.

But their boldness left space behind, exploited by the Bolton attack who started to earn set-pieces.

A Bolton penalty corner brought their second goal with a move off the training ground. The ball was played to the top D, then aimed to the back post with Damien Pearse on hand to sweep home.

Bolton killed the game off in similar, albeit slightly scrappier, means moments later through another penalty corner. This one initially stopped before Robinson pounced to push home his second and his side’s third.

Rochdale were able reduce to the deficit late on, but it was far too late to get anything out of the game.

In North West Men’s Six East, Bolton seconds lost 2-0 at Wigan seconds.

It is a regional derby that is usually tasty but this one quickly left a bad taste in the Bolton mouth, as they were two down in 10 minutes.

Both goals came from open play, with the Wigan attack cutting open the Bolton defence too easily.

In the second half, Bolton upped their tempo, their intensity and their aggression.

But a simple green card was upgraded to yellow for some backchat, and this cost the team as they tried gallantly to get back into the game with just 10.

Even when restored to 11 players, they struggled to break down a resolute Wigan.

The men’s thirds had two weeks to stew over their crushing defeat to Stockport and Bowdon sevenths were the unlucky to team to face their wrath as they won 2-1.

Despite the scoreline this North West Men’s Seven East clash was entirely one-sided, with the Bolton team spending nearly all of the 70 minutes trying to break down the wall of players in front of them.

They took the lead through Daniel Parsonson but fell into the old complacency trap as Bowdon scored with their only attack just before half time.

In the second half Bolton redoubled their efforts finding a breakthrough via Kyle Hatch.

It really should have been more, but the result was never in doubt.

In North West Women’s One, Bolton’s women firsts made the long trip to Carlisle looking to build on the previous week’s impressive point.

Due to the long travel, they were reduced to just 11 players and no substitutes, and an early green card did not help matters as Carlisle took the lead from a penalty corner.

Bolton once again played very well, moving the ball around, and created chances.

But execution was not quite there and Carlisle settled the game late in the second half with a second goal to seal a 2-0 triumph.

The women’s seconds faced Rochdale firsts in a close affair in North West Women’s Four East. that ended 1-1

Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half but Rochdale took the lead midway through the second, only for Bolton to equalise via Natasha Johnson.

It ended all square in what was a fair result on the balance of play.

The women’s thirds saw their home clash with Timperley sixths in North West Women’s Six East cancelled on Sunday.