TWO Bolton golf clubs reached the last four of the prestigious Manchester and District Golf Alliance Dunham Forest Trophy.

Old Links went all the way to the final, losing to Manchester Golf Club, while Harwood went out in the semi-finals.

Finals day is one of the top highlights of the Manchester Alliance’s season with the last four teams, who won through from an entry of nearly 100 clubs, battling it out at the traditional and impressive Dunham Forest Golf Club.

Manchester, twice winners of the competition in 2011 and 1996, easily beat Reddish Vale, who had reached their first finals day for 40 years, but the clash of the two Bolton teams was much closer.

Wins for Michael Tunstall and James Whitworth for Links were matched by Steve Hunt and Joe Donnelly for Harwood.

It was still locked at 3-3 as Anthony Stirling won one up for Harwood and Links professional Sean Owen levelled with a 3-2 success against Dale Affleck.

The crucial win for Links came from Nick Jackson who beat Martin Durham on the 20th hole to give them high hopes of repeating their last win in the competition in 1975.

The final was nip and tuck before Manchester put on a late surge to triumph 4.5-2.5.

Picking up the points for Old Links were Karl Bowker and Sean Owen with James Whitworth halving his match.