FOLLOWING three weeks of inactivity, Bolton Wyresdale were clearly champing at the bit to get out and play.

And, when they finally got their LFA Amateur Cup tie going ahead, they marched into round three with a 6-1 derby success against Thornleigh.

It was a far-from straightforward outing for Wyresdale, though, as they had to play their ‘home’ match in Blackley, with all local artificial pitches booked up on a day of torrential rain that saw most of the scheduled games called off.

Manager Aamar Ahmed’s task was made more difficult with a host of absences from the first team, but with five second-teamers and one player making the step up from the A team, they hit their Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division rivals for six.

“After not playing for ages we found ourselves struggling for a team on Saturday, the first time we’ve been able top play in weeks,” he told The Bolton News.

“That cup game had been scheduled for the three weeks before and we finally had to go over to Blackley to get it played at the fourth time of trying.

“It was a good game, especially in the conditions, and a good game for the club as a whole, it shows we’ve got some good players throughout the club.

“We’ve got a good group and a really good set of lads, right throughout. All three teams were promoted last year and all are doing well this season.”

Wyresdale were almost out of sight at half time on Saturday, as they led 4-0, thanks to penalties converted by Alex Buchanan and Joe Raynor, with strikes by Ryan Smith and one of those stepping into the fray impressively, Cameron Lewarne.

Raynor’s second of the game, three minutes into the second half, killed off any Thornleigh hopes of staging a remarkable comeback, and Robbie Smith, who regularly plays in the LAL Division Four with the A team, completed the scoring for them.

Aidy Nugent was on target for a Thornleigh side who prop up the top flight but who have enough time – and, says Ahmed, enough talent to turn their season around.

“I know Thornleigh are struggling at the minute but that was never as one-sided as 6-1 sounds,” he said. “They had chances to get a few goals, we were just more clinical with ours.

“It was a good game to watch, we’re glad to finally get it played, we’re happy to have got through and it’s onto the next round now.”

That next round comes this Saturday, when they face another tricky match in the third round, drawn away to a Tottington United side riding high in Division One.

Unbeaten in the league so far this term, they are second in the table but have four games in hand to make up a five-point gap to leaders Old Blackburnians reserves.

“They are another team on the up,” added Ahmed.

“A couple of years ago they went down but I think they’ve got a lot of their old players back and they will be tough, they’re a team that is obviously not used to losing.

“There isn’t a big gap between the Premier and Division One so we’re expecting it to be difficult, all we can do is go out there and compete and we’ll see how we go. We’ve had a good start ourselves, we were top of the table at one point, and we’re the only team so far to beat [league leaders]Failsworth. It’s still early days but our first priority after coming up last season is to stay up.

“I would think we’ll need about 20 points, so we’ll look to get those points on the board as soon as possible.

“There would be nothing worse than doing all the hard work we put in last year to get into the Premier and then going straight back down.”

Elsewhere, One of the few local teams in action, Old Boltonians, were 2-1 winners in their LAL Premier Division match at Chaddertonians, with goals from Matt McLennan and Joe Johnson. Elsewhere, Blackrod Town lost 3-1 at Darwen reserves in Division One. In the Manchester League Division Two, Bolton United were defeated 6-1 by Rochdale Sacred Heart reserves