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Amadou Bakayoko played an hour as Wanderers’ B Team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Bamber Bridge at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium.
The forward returned to action against Carlisle United over the weekend after recovering from a minor knee issue.
And he got some extra playing time under his belt ahead of Saturday’s final pre-season friendly against Huddersfield Town at the UniBol.
The hosts started brightly and the first chance fell to Paul Dawson, whose cross-shot across goal was cleared by a Bolton defender.
A trialist then tried his luck from distance after cutting in from the right flank but was unable to hit the target.
Nathan Pond wasted a good chance minutes later, failing to keep his shot down from the edge of the box after a slick passing move.
But the Whites managed to weather the early storm and started to ask questions of the bamber Bridge defence, with Conor Carty sending an effort over the bar after Bakayoko had reacted to a sloppy backpass.
Adam Senior then made a fine block to deny Fin Sinclair-Smith before a trialist fired over from a free-kick in a decent area on the right.
The same trialist, who looked dangerous throughout the opening 45 minutes, again pulled the trigger but it was not troubling Luke Hutchinson in the Bolton goal.
Lynford Sackey then got into a dangerous position on the right wing but was only able to find the side netting from a tight angle.
Midway through the first half, Bamber Bridge goalkeeper Felix Goddard did well to recover and keep out Connor Stanley’s effort from distance after initially giving the ball away under pressure.
Dawson then managed to space at the far post after a dangerous counter-attack but was unable to provide the final touch.
The best chance of the first half fell to Macauley Wilson after Wanderers had failed to clear their lines from a corner, but Hutchison made a fine stop low to his left to keep the scores level.
Sackey, who looked lively every time he got an opportunity to drive forward and take on his man, then won a free-kick on the edge of the box but Conor Carty was unable to beat the wall.
Bakayoko went close on the stroke of half-time after beating Goddard to a loose ball, but a free-kick was given against the Sierra Leone international.
After the break, Carty went close to breaking the deadlock but Goddard made a fine save to tip his strike onto the post.
The former Wolves youngster then found a pocket of space just outside the area but his effort was blocked by a defender.
The Whites continued to knock on the door and Max Conway felt he was brought down in the box, but referee James Atkinson waved away his appeals.
And Craddock’s men were hit with a sucker punch at the other end when Sinclair-Smith managed to get in behind the defence and keep his cool to slot past Hutchinson.
Pond then tried an acrobatic volley after getting on the end of an inviting cross from a trialist, but his effort sailed over the bar.
Wanderers very nearly got back on level terms when Nelson Khumbeni’s strike was inches away from the top corner after Goddard had initially made a decent punch to deal with a dangerous cross from the left.
Conway then won the ball back high up the pitch and slipped in Carty on the left flank, but his low cross was cut out by Goddard when it seemed like Sithole would have a simple finish at the far post.
10 minutes from time, Senior made another fine block to deny Sinclair-Smith, who was bearing down on goal.
Hutchinson then made another brilliant stop to keep out Pond’s bullet header from close range, before substitute Finlay Lockett curled wide in the final stages.
Hutchinson, Sackey, Senior, Toure, Halford, Conway, Tutte (Pettifer), Khumbeni, Stanley, Carty (Lockett), Bakayoko (Sithole)
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