OLD Boltonians are hoping to get by with a little help from their friends as they bid to win a second straight Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division title.

Bolts need two wins from their last two fixtures, at Chaddertonians and Rochdale St Clement's, and hope that league leaders Failsworth Dynamos slip up in their remaining fixture.

Failsworth complete their fixtures this Saturday as they travel to Horwich St Mary's Victoria and Bolts manager Steve Eccleshare has always maintained that the title race would go down to the wire.

"I'm sure we'll be fine, I'm looking forward to these last few weeks of the season," he said. "And it's an exciting end to the season, I'd rather that than the last few weeks just peter out.

"The big one is when Failsworth go to Horwich. I'm good mates with Danny Holmes (Horwich's manager) and I'm sure he'll be doing everything he can to help us. He's got a good team there too so we'll hope for a favour from them.

"If we can overtake Failsworth we'd love it but if we finish as runners-up we'll at least know that we've come second to a really good team, and another good set of lads too."

Boltonians made progress in the cup on Monday night, winning a penalty shoot-out 6-5 against Tottington after the sides couldn't be separated, playing out a 2-2 draw.

Old Bolts won the championship last year and Eccleshare admits to having to come down hard on his squad this season as they tried to defend their title.

"To be honest they're a great bunch and winning the league with them was great for us but it's been hard pushing them after doing so well last season so it's been a battle and we've had to crack the whip a bit but we're still up there and if we can put together two more good games in the next week we can make up three goals in the goal difference."

Bolts could hardly have asked for a better team to go in to bat for them this weekend, as Horwich's win on Saturday was their fifth straight victory.

Danny Holmes admits it wasn't pretty but beating Mostonians set them up nicely to face Tottington tomorrow night before that Failsworth game that will have a huge bearing on the title.

"It was a good, solid performance at Mostonians," Holmes said. "It was a tight game, there wasn't much in it and the game could easily have gone the other way.

"There weren't many chances created by either side but we got the breakthrough in the first half. Connor Dalton thought he'd scored with a header but their keeper made a good save. We had Nick Skelly in the right place to put in the rebound though, he's not played much this season because of injuries but he is very good at poaching goals.

"We're looking to win our last three games, if we can do that then third place is a definite possibility for us.

"We've got a tough run-in, there's no doubt about that –Failsworth still need points but they're coming to our pitch which is very tight and can get heavy with rain so if they don't adapt to it we'll fancy our chances."

Meanwhile, at Little Lever changes are afoot, as Lee Buckley is calling time on his tenure as manager, stepping down after more than 13 years at the club, the last five of which have been served running the first team.

Little Lever shared the points with hosts Old Mancunians on Saturday, a fair if slightly disappointing result according to Buckley.

"We had the better of the opening," he said. "But after we'd dominated they broke away and their left-back put in a great strike –it was one of those that go right into the top corner or go wide and just keep going. Unfortunately for us it was into the top corner.

"We had most of the play and created most of the chances but needed another great strike to get us level, Craig Bingham took a brilliant free kick from the edge of the box and that was right in the top corner too.

"They did well hitting us on the break as the game went on but Dale Farrimond was excellent in defence for us.

"It was a decent result, it's just a shame it dropped us to fourth place."