Bolton Combination THE quarter final of the Bolton Evening News Open Cup saw Premier club Walkden AFC come back from the dead against First Division opponents Astley Bridge before finally booking their semi-final place with a 4-2 win.

The Premier Club was rocked back on it's heels after only five minutes when Bridge's leading goal-scorer Nicos Kakoulis struck.

Further embarrassment for the side from the higher division came when John Gilbertson added to the scoreline to see the Bridge take a 2-0 goal advantage to the interval. The Premier side's position was now looking decidedly rocky.

The second period saw them roll their sleeves up though as right back Scott Burns dragged one back on 56 minutes to put them back in it. It was man of the match Burns that also popped up nine minutes later to score the equaliser. Now in the driving seat the Premier side made their class tell and with two strikes from Steve Clayton, the first on 68 minutes the second on 74, opened daylight between themselves and the Bridge to finally book their place in the semi-final.

Cup action, this time in the second round of the Division One Cup, saw the upset of the day when long-time league leaders Howe Bridge went away from home to AFC Bolton Walkers Reserves and lost 2-1.

It had all started so promisingly for the Bridge as they quickly established an early lead when Tommy Stokes struck after only 2 minutes, a lead they held until just after the hour. Then Mark Callow hammered home the equaliser and it was game on. It was left until three minutes from time though before the winner was struck, this coming from Damien Slater to leave Howe Bridge with no time to recover.

In the same competition bottom club Ainsworth reserves had a surprising 2-1 win over Belmont who recently have been putting some good results together. Colin Davies opened the scoring for the home side on 26 minutes only to see it equalised on 50 when Nigel Hurst struck. Mike O'Rourke brought joy to the league strugglers when he knocked in the eventual winner seven minutes later to take them into the next round.

Joining them there will be Mitchell Shackleton who overcame Monton Amateurs 1-0 courtesy of a Nick Robinson solitary strike while Swinton Moorside went away to Walkden AFC reserves and beat them 6-3.

The Premier Division saw league action with Kersal Vale going away to Meadowbank Avenue the home of Little Lever, thrashing them 6-1. Meanwhile Bolton Lads Club and Ainsworth FC finished honours even with a 2-2 draw, Jeff Brookes and Lee Wood getting the home side goals, Mike Jefferson striking both for the visitors.

Brindle Heath in the First Division took full advantage of the league leaders absence from league action to creep closer to them following a 3-1 away win at Turton. Two strikes by Joe Thornton and one by Andrew Buckley did the damage, the only reply coming from Phil Sutcliffe. Over at AS Weaste Light Oak Rangers scooped maximum points thanks mainly to a Mike Littler hat-trick in the 4-1 win. James Scott notched the other one with Mike Girgenti getting the two for the home side in a result that sees Weaste perilously close to that bottom spot.

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