A DEPLETED Bolton Hockey Club men's first team came from two goals down to draw 3-3 away to Kirkby Lonsdale.

Fourth-placed in North West Hockey League Division Three North, Bolton had five players missing and two carrying injuries.

And they faced an uphill task when their ninth-placed hosts took a 2-0 half-time lead.

Marcus Starr pulled one back, reacting quickly to push the ball over the line during a goalmouth scramble, and the youngest player on the pitch, George Brennan, scored an excellent second, coolly slotting home after beating two players and playing a neat one-two with James Robinson.

Kirkby Lonsdale hit back two minutes later, but Bolton did not allow their heads to drop and a long cross-field ball by Carl Philbin picked out Brennan, who collected on the run and smashed home a shot a minute from time.

Bolton ladies' first team also came from behind in dramatic fashion to earn a 1-1 draw away to Wrexham.

Two places above their Welsh hosts in eighth place in North Hockey Women's League Division Two South West, and with only 11 players including first-team goalkeeper Katie Bent playing up front, Bolton could not have left it any later to get the share of the spoils they deserved.

Trailing to a second-half goal from a short corner, Bent proved she can do the business at the other end from the one she usually occupies as she beat the keeper with a straight strike from a short corner 20 seconds from the end.

Earlier, Jane Topping was unlucky not to open the scoring for Bolton in a first-half one-on-one with the home keeper, and, after a bright start to the second period in which Bolton had been unable to capitalise on chances created, visiting goalkeeper Megan Heyes made a fantastic double save to keep the score level.

Bolton ladies' second team had a 3-2 victory away to Stockport Bramhall ladies' second team in Greater Manchester League Division Two.

Seventh-placed Bolton ladies took a 2-0 lead against their fourth-placed hosts, Fiona Clarke opening the scoring from a pass into the D by Debbie Green.

Clarke struck again, this time using her blistering speed to drive round the back and sweep the ball into the D where the ball was touched into the goal by a home defender.

Stockport hit back strongly with two goals to level the scores before half time, but Bolton produced a fine second-half performance, not least defensively, with Jo Tanner and Amy Clarke making some crucial tackles and the team playing as a tight unit.

They got the winner when some superb stick skills from Jess Flegg resulted in a short corner from which Debbie Nicholson smashed home an unstoppable strike.

Bolton Beavers lost 1-0 at home to a strong Lymm team, an improvement from a recent 3-1 away defeat to the same side.

Bolton played a strong defensive line with Emma Verghasi, Daisy Vose and Caitlyn Walker blocking everything Lymm threw at them and only conceding when a short corner high ball took a lucky deflection which carried it out of reach of goalkeeper Nina Jones.