Luca Navarro on scoresheet as young Whites fall to late defeat
Bolton Wanderers Under-18s fell to a late defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Putting in a dominant display at Lostock, the young Whites were unfortunate not to take the lead as Tyrell Palmer forced a good save from the Forest goalkeeper.
Continuing to create chances, Enok Likoy-Elumba also missed a good chance to open the scoring as he headed wide from close-range.
However, Bolton were made to rue their missed opportunities as the visitors took the lead following a free-kick as the Trotters failed to clear the second ball.
At the other end Wanderers continued to press forward with Danny McKenna firing wide from the edge of the area.
Fielding three Under-16s after the break, the Whites finally managed to net an equaliser following further missed chances as substitute Luca Navarro finished well with a curling effort from the edge of the area.
Bolton thought they'd sealed the points late on as Harry Brockbank converted from a free-kick into the area, only for his strike to be ruled out for offside.
But just when it looked like the Trotters would walk away with a share of the spoils, an individual error gifted Forest the latest of winners, much to Wanderers' disappointment.
After the game, Under-18s coach David Lee told bwfc.co.uk; "We were the better team throughout the game and did well to create a number of good goalscoring opportunities.
"However, we failed to take our chances and were punished as they went in at half-time in the lead.
"In the second half, we played with three Under-16s in the team with one of them, Luca Navarro, scoring a well-taken goal, curling a shot in from 18 yards to level the scores.
"We then scored a free kick through Brockbank, only to have it disallowed for offside, with a basic mistake at the other end then costing us a second goal very late in the game.
"Overall, though, despite the result, it was a good performance."
TEAM
Bolton: Turner, Grant, (Hartshorne 70), Brockbank, Honeyball, Allen, Griffiths, McKenna, (Fearnley 60) Palmer, Likoy-Elumba, White, (Navarro 80) Earing.