Bolton 2 Preston 3: PRESTON proved why they are top of the league by edging a close encounter with Bolton 1st XI in a result that hardly reflected the pattern of the game.

Bolton started with an attacking formation, Andy Jones making his debut up front with Aitken and Monte, and surprised Preston by taking the game to them.

Jones could have made a dream start but fired wide after Aitken's run and slide rule pass. A goal then could have made for a different game but Preston hit back, dominating midfield and possession, as Bolton conceded the ball cheaply all too often.

Both sides had their share of penalty corners but neither could profit and it was a move of stunning simplicity that gave Preston the lead. As Bolton's midfield played statues, Preston passed the ball swiftly down the right, into the area, around the stranded Neville and into the goal, despite a valiant effort from Woods.

Half time assurances that a quick goal from the restart would make a difference were correct, only for Bolton, it came at the wrong end.

Having defended early penalty corners, Mathieson then made a catastrophic mistake, his clearance going directly to a forward, who shot straight in.

Minutes later, Tobutt marred an otherwise impressive performance with a sloppy cross field ball. Again, Preston pounced, winning a penalty corner, which was struck home for a 3-0 lead.

Whether Preston settled for that or Bolton were stung into action, it matters not, as Bolton finally started to string passes together and achieve pressure. Benefiting from Way and Monte running at the heart of the backline, the breakthrough came in odd circumstances as Monte's penalty corner strike deflected up onto the bar and a Bolton stick was grabbed to prevent a shot from the rebound leaving Way to flick home the resultant penalty.

Monte crashed home a second from another penalty corner with the help of a generous deflection and Bolton might even have levelled matters as Tobutt rampaged through but was knocked off balance in the act of shooting.

However, a draw would have been slightly unjust, given Bolton's self-destruction.