Reserves: Wanderers 1 Manchester Utd 3
A YOUNG Wanderers side put up a brave fight against a strong Manchester United line-up but ultimately succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.
Alan Cork's young side, which had lost narrowly to United in the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup a week previously, battled bravely against a side that contained three full internationals - and levelled at one point through Michael O'Halloran.
But United restored their lead just before half-time through Zoran Tosic and despite the heroics of Bolton goalkeeper Robert Lainton wrapped up the points with a late goal from substitute Sam Hewson.
As well as Serbian international Tosic, the visitors also included Northern Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson and England man Wes Brown in their ranks.
And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men went ahead after just three minutes when Tosic swung in a corner and Craig Cathcart headed in at the near post.
Bolton hit back with Aaron Mooy just unable to head in a Adam Blakeman cross at full stretch but with ten minutes gone they were level.
The centre of United's defence had already been exposed when the impressive Sam Sheridan threaded a pass through for O'Halloran to slot home.
Javlon Campbell then saw a header saved from Blakeman's corner and Sheridan had a long-range effort tipped over by Ben Amos.
But United were always a threat on the break and after Bolton's defence had been forced into a re-shuffle following a back injury to Tom Eckersley they were caught out by the pace of Joshua King, who pulled the ball back for Tosic to finish from close range a minute before the break.
With Bolton then chasing an equaliser for most of the second half they left themselves exposed to United's free-flowing attack, in which King and the highly-rated Danny Welbeck were a constant danger.
However, Lainton did his best to keep Bolton in the game as he saved superbly from Cameron Stewart before a fantastic double block denied Wellbeck and Hewson.
Had an assistant-referee not incorrectly flagged Campbell off-side Bolton would have claimed an equaliser but they were finally killed off seven minutes from the end when David Gray crossed for Hewson to head in.
Alan Cork's young side, which had lost narrowly to United in the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup a week previously, battled bravely against a side that contained three full internationals - and levelled at one point through Michael O'Halloran.
But United restored their lead just before half-time through Zoran Tosic and despite the heroics of Bolton goalkeeper Robert Lainton wrapped up the points with a late goal from substitute Sam Hewson.
As well as Serbian international Tosic, the visitors also included Northern Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson and England man Wes Brown in their ranks.
And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men went ahead after just three minutes when Tosic swung in a corner and Craig Cathcart headed in at the near post.
Bolton hit back with Aaron Mooy just unable to head in a Adam Blakeman cross at full stretch but with ten minutes gone they were level.
The centre of United's defence had already been exposed when the impressive Sam Sheridan threaded a pass through for O'Halloran to slot home.
Javlon Campbell then saw a header saved from Blakeman's corner and Sheridan had a long-range effort tipped over by Ben Amos.
But United were always a threat on the break and after Bolton's defence had been forced into a re-shuffle following a back injury to Tom Eckersley they were caught out by the pace of Joshua King, who pulled the ball back for Tosic to finish from close range a minute before the break.
With Bolton then chasing an equaliser for most of the second half they left themselves exposed to United's free-flowing attack, in which King and the highly-rated Danny Welbeck were a constant danger.
However, Lainton did his best to keep Bolton in the game as he saved superbly from Cameron Stewart before a fantastic double block denied Wellbeck and Hewson.
Had an assistant-referee not incorrectly flagged Campbell off-side Bolton would have claimed an equaliser but they were finally killed off seven minutes from the end when David Gray crossed for Hewson to head in.
Bolton: Lainton, Riley (Battersby 55mins), Bennett, Eckersley (Harsanyi 28mins), Stokes, O'Halloran, Sheridan, McDonald, Blakeman, Mooy (Michail 71mins), Campbell. Substitutes: Lynch, McGeechan.
Manchester United: Amos, Brown (Eikrem 58mins), Chester, Cathcart, De Laet, Gray, Gibson (Hewson 58mins), James, Tosic (Stewart 58mins), Wellbeck, King. Substitutes: Dudgeon, Zieler.
