The sombre dressing room after the game told the tale of this match, two valuable points dropped in a game that should have seen Prestwich out of sight rather than 2-1 down at the interval, a lead which ultimately proved enough for the Turton outfit to grind out a point.
It all started so well when on the 7th minute Martin Hill robbed a defender out wide on the left, his dribble to the line and pass across the goal was met by Sean Haslam to prod home from close range. Prestwich were well on top and with Boltonians rocking it looked like another rout was on the cards.
It all changed when Boltonians grabbed an equaliser completely out of the blue. Whilst not playing football for the purists Boltonians are always a big side so set pieces were always going to be the main threat, and so it proved when on 14 minutes a free kick from some 35 yards out on the right saw Paul Taylor for once beaten in the air for a knock down which was met first time to be lashed into the net from 5 yards.
Thereafter the game continued its previous pattern with Prestwich largely on top, but the problem was that whilst looking comfortable defensively a casual approach had crept into the build-up play with far too many misplaced passes when not under pressure, too many players over-elaborating unnecessarily and general poor decision making when in the final third.
Time and time again Prestwich made inroads down the flanks through Aldair Victoran on the left or Mike Neary on the right only to see the final ball sail into a packed Boltonians defence to be cleared or when pulled square met with a needlessly rushed shot, typical of which was one effort by Sam Holden that flew high wide and not so handsome over the goal when it seemed easier to score.
Similar attempts followed with Haslam, Neary, Darren Buckley and Victorano all blasting wide and Prestwich were made to pay for their profligacy when on 43 mins a long punt up field was headed on to leave a striker one on one with keeper Mike Hudson, he kept his composure well to round Hudson and slot into the empty net.
Prestwich desperately set about getting an equaliser from the restart and it was no surprise when it came on from Martin Hill on 70 mins who looked the most likely to score throughout the game in what was a fine personal performance, a typical surging run down the left saw him cut in across goal to slot home from close range.
The game now became a desperate battle for the points, Prestwich to their credit despite a real urgency now in their game never stopped playing football playing the ball into feet in a packed Bolton penalty area constantly trying to work enough space for a shot but there always seemed to be just too many body’s in the way.
To Boltonians credit they defended valiantly throwing themselves into tackles and blocking shots around the edge of the box whilst remaining a constant threat on the counter through their rangy main striker and they could easily have nicked all three points themselves as Prestwich visibly tired.
It remained one a piece at the final whistle but Boltonian’s celebrations and Prestwich’s dejections at the end of the game told the full story.
