WANDERER born-and-bred Adam Senior proved a hero at both ends of the pitch to keep the Whites’ unbeaten run going in pre-season at Chorley.

The defender, who has watched his club through bad times and good from the terraces, came up with the winning goal at Victory Park.

At the other end he blocked a goal-bound effort from Adam Henley 10 minutes from full time to ensure a strong Bolton line-up chalked up another pre-season win.

Kieran Lee, George Thomason, Ali Crawford and Brandon Comley were among the first team stars in action as Ian Evatt gave more of his senior players some crucial game time ahead of the League One season opener against MK Dons on August 7.

It was Senior’s night, though, and after being given the captain’s armband for the night he obliged with a fine first-half header to seal the spoils and lift the Harold Taylor Memorial Trophy.

Wanderers traded blows early on – Crawford failing to steer a Ronan Darcy cross on target and a swerving shot from Dennis Politic being pushed over the top by home keeper Lee Unwin.

Chorley played their part, however, and experienced forward Andy Owens caused problems throughout the first half for the Whites. After an early overhead kick had failed to test Luke Hutchinson, he volleyed just wide from Billy Whitehouse’s cross.

Shortly after Brandon Comley had nudged a header wide from George Thomason’s centre, Senior showed him how it was done – doing something a Wanderers player has not done for a considerable length of time.

Bolton fans have grown slightly concerned by the club’s lack of goals from set pieces but with Ali Crawford given the responsibility of whipping a ball in, the Bolton born-and-bred defender left nothing to chance with a powerful far-post header.

Only Hutchinson’s brilliance ensured that Wanderers stayed ahead, the first-year pro saving from Owens and then making a superb double stop to deny Jonathan Ustabasi and Henley.

Politic was on the hunt for a goal to cap his return from injury and had already had a sighter in the first half. Just after the break he flashed another left-footed effort just wide of goal after beating two men.

Thomason also showed his defensive skills with a good block to deny Whitehouse, raising the volume among the Bolton faithful who had made the short trip up the M61.

The pace of the game slowed as the substitutions began but Wanderers still had a god chance to double their lead when replacement Matt Tweedley set Jay Fitzmartin racing through on goal but, not for the first time on the night, Unwin was there to make the save.

As if Senior’s night was not good enough, he then managed to clear one off the line from Henley with 14 minutes left on the clock after the Whites back line had been undone by a long ball over the top.

The night ended with captain-for-the-night lifting silverware above his head – Boy’s Own stuff – in what was another encouraging pre-season outing for Wanderers.

Wanderers: Hutchinson; Comley (Burgess 84), Senior, Tutte, Gordon (Le Fondre 81); Lee (Tweedley 60), Thomason (Frimpong 70), Crawford (Conway 81), Darcy (Pettifer 81), Fitzmartin; Politic (Henry 70).