A BOLTON super striker has revealed how he was in danger of being substituted - because he scored nine goals!

Karl Dalton, aged 23, from Radcliffe, was the hero of Ainsworth FC's astonishing 23-1 win over Partridge Thistle in the first round of the BEN Open Cup.

Even though he put in five goals for Ainsworth Reserves last season, the player admitted he was amazed at how often he was on target in last weekend's game.

And Karl, still on cloud nine after his hot-shot display, revealed today how Gary Pierce, the ex-Wolves keeper who is now manager of Bolton Combination Premier Division side Ainsworth, threatened to bring him off... for being too good. Karl explained: "The top goalscorer wins an award at the end of the season and the boss joked about bringing me off because it looked like I might win it in one game!

"I hit the bar before I had even scored and didn't think it was going to be my day. The goals were fairly evenly spread around the team but Paul Roscoe who plays up front with me has taken a bit of stick because he didn't score. "He is our top scorer for the past four seasons!

"It was 10-0 at half time and their players looked like they wanted to go for a pint.

"But to be fair they never stopped running and tackling in the second half. The players almost did a lap of honour when they scored. This is their first season in the league and they will get better."

Brian Lawder, Ainsworth FC Secretary for 28 years, said: "Karl should have had 29, not nine. But it's a funny old game." And just to prove it, Ainsworth missed a penalty and lost against British Aerospace only two days after their cup massacre.

Just for the record, it wasn't Karl who missed the penalty.

Bolton Combination Secretary Geoff Parkinson said the 23-1 win was the biggest in decades.

Second Division side Partridge Thistle are new in the Bolton Combination this year. The team name is drawn from their favourite pub, the Dog and& Partridge on Manor Street. Partridge have conceded nearly 50 goals already but are refusing to lie down in the face of such an onslaught.

Even though they endured a cup nightmare, Partridge striker Andrew Proctor was adamant that his goal was the best of the game.

And he should know because 20 had gone in at the other end before it.

Andrew said: "It was an overhead kick about five minutes from the end. "We only had a handful of supporters while Ainsworth had about 40. But it was the best-received goal on the day.

"We are still in good spirits and will carry on enjoying the game for it's own sake. We only had 10 men for the first half an hour and nine in the second half.

"Some of the team were away watching Bolton let in a hatful at Southend.

"We are not frightened and just need to find our feet. We haven't got a league match at weekend and have arranged a friendly against another Premier Division side."

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