BOLTON men's first team let a 3-1 lead slip to draw 3-3 at Ormskirk first team.

Joel Reece slotted home a neat finish past the keeper for the opening goal after Carl Philbin slipped him in following a penalty corner.

George Brennan made it two with a powerful shot as the team who are sixth in North West Hockey League Division Three North piled on the pressure.

Just before half time, fourth-placed Ormskirk pulled one back, but Brennan restored Bolton's two-goal lead at the start of the second half with a deflected effort.

Poor discipline saw Bolton go down to nine men for 15 minutes and Ormskirk punished them by pulling a goal back to make it 3-2 before equalising at the death.

The only other Bolton Hockey Club team to beat the weather was the ladies' third team who drew 0-0 at a Moss Park Ladies third team they had beaten 7-0 in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season.

Bolton, who are third in a six-team Greater Manchester Hockey League Women's Division Four, created numerous chances against their second-bottom hosts but failed to take them.

With Jess Flagg sweeping and constantly finding wingers Emily Hawkrigg and Izzy Currie, who carried the ball to the opposition's circle, the local ladies had three penalty corners and a disallowed goal in the first half.

The second half continued in a similar vein with five more penalty corners and shots at goal from Flagg and Lucy Griffiths, and with Ruby Chadwick and Emily Hyland dominant in defence, there only looked like being one winner.

But, despite controlling the game, they could not find a way through.