A RUN of 80 consecutive league and cup games ended for Bolton Wanderers' midfielder Roy Greaves when he missed the Second Division clash at Sheffield United.

Greaves limped out of the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest with a hamstring strain.

The injury forced manager Ian Greaves to change his line-up for the first time in eight games. Wanderers had earned a point at home to Forest courtesy of Neil Whatmore's 11th goal of the season.

Forest went ahead through a Peter Withe header in the 40th minute but after Peter Nicholson had made a goalline clearance, Whatmore's headed home the equaliser a minute after the restart.

10 YEARS AGO: December 30, 1991

LADY Luck deserted Bolton when Huddersfield got the break for a 1-0 victory.

The Yorkshiremen, who looked to be heading for the Second Division, dominated the first-half but chances were at a premium and needed an element of luck to score through Iwan Roberts, who netted his 22nd of the season in the 16th minute to break a 40-year-old club record of goals before the turn of the year.

A defensive clearance hit the ref and fell to Phil Starbuck whose shot ricocheted off Mark Seagraves and Phil Brown and into the path of Roberts.

5 YEARS AGO: December 30, 1996

WANDERERS put a dismal run of eight games without a win behind them when they notched up their second victory of the festive period.

They beat Grimsby on Boxing Day and followed it up with a 3-1 win over Southend to stay top of the First Division.

Bolton have appeared capable of pushing the self-destruct button and it was not until John McGinlay scored with his 19th goal of the season from the spot 15 minutes from time that they could breathe easily.

Scott Sellars was the star man doubling his tally of goals to four and was unlucky not to have grabbed a hat-trick.

Colin Todd summed up the performnace saying: "Everyone expected us to win the game and we did it very comfortably with a good team effort."