Wanderers’ B Team got a good workout against quality opposition during their 2-0 defeat against Rangers.
The young Whites held their own but were eventually undone by moments of quality from Connor Allan and James Graham in the second half.
Andy Taylor named two trialists in his starting line-up, one slotting into the back three and the other playing up front.
The first chance fell to the attacking trialist, who showed good feet in the box before shooting wide from a tight angle.
Jack Flint then made a good stop to tip Fraser’s Robbie Fraser’s strike around the post before Christopher Eadie headed straight at the Bolton goalkeeper moments later.
Flint made another impressive stop to deny Archie Stevens with his legs after the youngster was played through on goal.
Alexander Hutton sent an effort over the bar from distance before Graham fired wide of the far post as the visitors ramped up the pressure.
Graham looked set to open the scoring on the stroke of half time after a cut-back from the left, but Flint once again came to Wanderers’ rescue from close range.
Rangers picked up where they left off after the break and took the lead when Allan reacted quickest to a cross from the right and rifled home.
Bolton nearly hit back immediately when Matt Tweedley raced through on goal but the midfielder slotted just wide.
Rangers doubled their lead when Graham created a pocket of space in the box with a clever turn and crashed in off the bar.
Stevens nearly added a third after a good run to go past a couple of defenders but couldn’t keep his strike down.
At the other end, Wes Frimpong saw a low drive tipped wide before Finlay Lockett curled just wide from the edge of the box.
Substitute Zakariya Lovelace went close with a free kick from just outside the area in the final stages, but Flint made another good stop low to his left.
Findlay Curtis thought he had scored with one of the final touches of the game but his header landed on the roof of the net.
Flint, Trialist, Halford, Inwood, Matheson, Tweedley, Sharples-Ahmed (Fleury), Frimpong (Westwood), Lockett, Trialist (Abimbola), Loureiro (Lewis)
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