The track across the playing fields to the pitch was badly waterlogged in parts which was a good indication of the general conditions and it was a credit to both teams that they produced such an entertaining and competitive match.

The action started with Bolton hitting the ground running and for the first 30 minutes they gave City a lesson in desire, they were first to virtually every loose ball and threatened to put the game out of reach early. Once again Donohoe was their main threat, she tested the Lancaster defence time and again and they were lucky that the half hour mark only saw them two goals in arrears. The first goal came after 15 minutes, the defence took their eye off Donohoe and she scored a simple goal, then seven minutes later she was free again latching on to a speculative ball through the middle and showing too much pace for the back four, Mills made a couple of important blocks during the half but this time she stood no chance.

The Lancaster heads seemed to drop for a while as Wanderers pressed forward but crucially failed to get what may well have turned out to be the killer goal. As the game entered the final 15 minutes of the first half, Lambert came on for Farmer and Lancaster started to get back into it, in part this was due to Bolton taking a breather, their efforts had been excessive and they just couldn’t keep it going. City started to exert pressure on the Bolton goal and for a second time their keeper was called on to pull out all the stops to keep the lead intact but still Lancaster’s forays lacked cohesion.

The second half started in much the same way as the first but the roles were reversed. Bolton still looked weary despite the respite of half time and Lancaster were back in the match after only a minute’s play. Cleminson latched onto a pass on the left, ran at the defence and slipped the ball along the 6 yard line where Evans, who had been one of the pluses in the first half, came steaming in to slot it inside the right hand post. Wanderers found themselves reeling, City came at them from all sides and it was no surprise when they equalised on 49 minutes. They forced a corner on the right which Lambert placed into the 6 yard box on the near post, the keeper came but got lost in the melee and Watson powered the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Bolton, to their credit, forced the game back into midfield after this setback but tired legs and minds resulted in a stagnant period with City looking the more comfortable. The supply to Donohoe was now effectively cut off with Evans and Hall especially strong although the whole side had responded. In the sixtieth minute Donohoe managed to get on to a ball on the left and attacked the area strongly but Frazer refused to be beaten and made a crucial tackle to concede a corner, unfortunately she took a knock in the process which resulted in Makenson replacing her. Five minutes later City made a second substitution, Weston, who had done a solid job in the middle, being replaced by McTominey who settled into her usual role on the night. The game had become sometime akin to a war of attrition which was mostly fought out in the Bolton half, but Wanderers clearly still had the desire as Donohoe’s heavy challenge on Taylor attested, Makinson responded immediately with a tough challenge as Bolton looked to break and this resulted in a few minutes delay whilst their player recovered.

The game entered the final 5 minutes of normal time all square. Lancaster looked the more likely to score but both sides were out on their feet and you sensed it would only take one slip or one player to lift themselves again and a win was there for the taking. It was tense stuff but on 86 minutes up stepped the seemingly indefatigable Evans to grab the winner after McTominey misshit her effort just inside the area, the ball ran loose and Evans steered it home. It wasn’t a classic but they all count and despite some tense final minutes City secured the victory, a true test of character had been passed.

Team:- Mills, Frazer, Hall, Dixon, Taylor, Weston, Farmer, Evans, Watson, Cleminson, Lynch

Subs:- Crompton, Richards, Makenson, Lambert, McTominey

Goal scorers:- (Evans 2, Watson)