Bolton 2nd 4 Kendal 2

After drawing their last two games, a win was required from the second eleven to restore the confidence that had seen them cruise through their opening fixtures.

And they responded with an emphatic success against a surprisingly understrength Kendal.

Bolton started brightly, with some smooth interaction between the front three of Adam Friend, Owen Evans and Paul Ashurst, with Friend missing a guilt edge chance with the goal at his mercy.

Soon after Friend made amends when he opened the scoring with a sublime deflection from an Evans cross. The second goal followed when man of the moment, Richard Guest fired in another thunderbolt from yet another of his short corner strikes.

Bolton continued to apply constant pressure, but an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration by the usually reliable midfield, allowed the Kendal front line to overrun the defence and force their way into the 'D'.

Chris Goldsbrough stretched well to parry the first effort, but could do nothing about the follow up. This sparked Bolton back to life again and the third goal swiftly followed. A quickly taken hit found Friend in acres of space, who without hesitation, laid the ball unselfishly for his strike partner, Evans to fire in his thirteenth goal of the season.

In the second half, Bolton seemed to relax a little, but then a accidental collision between Evans and the Kendal defender, left the latter unconscious for a four frightening minutes. Play was obviously held up for 20 minutes whilst the ambulance crew took the injured player to hospital.

When play resumed, Kendal pushed forward and scored a second goal from a short corner. Bolton tightened up, and then began playing some breathtaking hockey with Ashurst, Richard Turner and Javed Chowdry linking up well to put some good passing together.

Evans could have added to his tally, but good goalkeeping and the woodwork denying him. The fourth and final goal came with Chris Dean finishing off sweetly from a rather scrappy short corner.

With Bolton back to winning ways, only a win against surprise outfit Blackpool next week, will earn a well deserved Christmas break.