9:30am Tuesday 2nd February 2010
OLD Boltonians were denied the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier Division when they lost at Old Mancunians.
They looked on course to take a point as an even game remained goalless until two minutes from time when the Manchester side scored from a free kick to lift themselves to third.
Howe Bridge Mills are in between them in second after drawing 1-1 at fifth-place Chaddertonians.
Tom Valentine put the Atherton side ahead with a brilliant solo goal on 30 minutes, collecting the ball with his back to goal and beating two men before smashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards.
Some sloppy defending enabled Chaddertonians to draw level five minutes before the break and neither side could break the deadlock in the second half.
Man-of-the-match for Howe Bridge was left-back Rick Truw who was outstanding on his return from a four-month absence with a knee injury.
At the other end of the table, Bolton Wyresdale picked up a point against a Rossendale Amateurs team which has only lost one league game this season.
And the fourth-bottom Breightmet side were disappointed not to take all three points home after star striker Gaz Whiteside had a penalty saved 10 minutes from time after he had been brought down. Wyresdale’s problems started before the game when they were struggling for players. Their search for a team intensified as the players learned they would be playing on a 3G all-weather surface and the right footwear was in short supply.
“We had five players missing to start with,” said manager Aamar Ahmed. “I was picking players from the second team but we had to spend half our time before the game trying to get enough boots with moulded studs to go around.
“Basically, it wasn’t a case of the best players are in the team but if you’ve got moulded boots you’re playing.
“We were telling those players with two pairs of moulded to bring them both and lend them to other players.”
The lack of preparation did not seem to hamper Wyresdale, however, as they held Rossendale to a goalless stalemate before captain Gareth Jones put them ahead with 20 minutes to go.
Whiteside played the ball into Nathan Barley who laid it off to Jones who finished off an eye-catching move by firing home from 12 yards. The lead lasted only five minutes when Rossendale levelled and five minutes later Whiteside saw his penalty saved.
“It was a good point,” added Ahmed. “It was a tight game against one of the better sides in the league. We are striving to get up the league and we play Old Blackburnians on Saturday which will be a six-pointer.
“If we can beat them it will give us a cushion over the teams at the bottom.”
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