WANDERERS’ pre-season friendly against Bamber Bridge will go ahead as planned this evening despite soaring temperatures in the North West.

On what is expected to be the hottest day on record in the UK, Matt Craddock’s B Team will play at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium after both clubs agreed for the game to go ahead.

The Met Office expects temperatures of 36deg C in that part of Lancashire at 1pm – cooling to a more manageable 26deg C at the kick-off time of 7.30pm.

Some clubs have moved their games to later in the evening to combat the heat but while frequent drinks breaks are expected, Bamber Bridge said yesterday that there are no plans to change.

“We have been closely monitoring the weather forecast with Bolton Wanderers and based on the fact it is likely to be cooler in the evening (albeit still warm) we have jointly decided to go ahead with the game! Plenty of refreshments will be on sale,” a statement read on Twitter.

Ian Evatt has also confirmed that Wanderers’ first team will also be training as scheduled as they prepare for their final pre-season friendly game against Huddersfield Town at the weekend.

The Wanderers boss was unhappy with the performance at Carlisle on Saturday but reckons they will move on quickly from the defeat, giving him decisions to make ahead of the opening game of the season against Ipswich Town.

“I have got lots of food for thought, definitely,” he said. “I think we have had some really positive performances in pre-season and we have seen one negative one. There is lots to learn, lots to think about, lots to look at, but we still have about two weeks to go.

“I don’t really fear for our reaction. They are a good group of players, fantastic lads with good attitudes and I’m sure they will take it on the chin and respond.”

Meanwhile, Eoin Toal was absent from Derry City’s squad in their 2-1 win against Finn Harps on Sunday.

The23-year-old central defender is on his way to Wanderers for a medical ahead of a move to the University of Bolton Stadium, with manager Ruaidhri Higgins confirming after the game that the deal “looks close”.

“It's not official but obviously he's not here today," said the City boss. "He's a proper man, a really good player and I've got nothing but good things to say about him.

"I think there's been reports over the last 24 hours that it's close and it looks close."