BOLTON fourth team replaced Horwich 1sts Xl at the top of North West Hockey League Division Six North/South with a thrilling 4-3 away victory.

With two unbeaten records at stake something had to give, and it was Bolton who took the honours through Will Bailey's first goal of the season in the dying minutes.

Bolton took the game to their local rivals early on but found goalkeeper Ryan Goodman in fine form as he twice denied Will Bailey.

Horwich took the lead against the run of play but Bolton hit back with two goals in quick succession from Luke Halsall Hart.

The action was relentless as half time approached. Horwich rallied and Tony Sanderson found space in the D to equalise before Robert Lord restored Bolton's lead from a penalty corner.

Horwich hit back with another equaliser in the second half following a well-worked corner before Max Frost found Halsall Hart unmarked in the Horwich D and he calmly squared the ball to Bailey to score the decisive late winner.

Bolton men's second team climbed off the bottom of the North West League Division Four North with a convincing 2-0 victory over Formby.

Bolton went into the home game on the back of two wins and two defeats since the turn of the year and the victory – which saw them keep their first clean sheet of the season – lifted them to within five points of third-bottom Formby with a game in hand.

Bolton started strongly, dominating possession throughout the early stages and made it count when a cross from Sam Mortimer was converted by midfielder Reece Holmes.

The first half followed the same pattern with Bolton dominating with the exception of a brief spell when they were temporarily reduced to 10 men but still overcame Formby's pressure.

Bolton stepped up their game in the second half and scored the much-needed second goal when a well-worked passing move ended with striker Adam Anwar firing into the bottom corner.

The men's third team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Didsbury Northern to leave the local lads ninth in North West League Division Five North/South.

Richard Moore had the best chance of a goalless first half when he shot straight at the Didsbury goalkeeper while at the other end Chris Sharrock commanded his area brilliantly and cleared any danger that came his way.

Chances remained few and far between in a second half in which Bolton stepped up their game.

But with just four minutes remaining eighth-placed Didsbury scored the winner from a penalty corner.

Bolton Ladies' first team beat fourth-placed Morpeth 3-2 to maintain sixth place in North League Division One.