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Wanderers’ B Team finished the year with a 3-1 defeat against non-league outfit FC United of Manchester at Broadhurst Park.
Joseph Rodwell-Grant bagged a brace during the first half, with Brayden Shaw also getting on the scoresheet for the hosts. Nelson Khumbeni pulled one back for Bolton after the break.
The first chance fell to Gerald Sithole, who was denied by Dan Lavercombe from a tight angle after getting into a dangerous area on the left.
Guy Hall then picked out Dontai Gabison with a clever cut back, but his shot was saved by Mackenzie Chapman low to his left.
Midway through the first half, Nelson Khumbeni’s curling effort seemed destined for the top corner but Lavercombe made a superb stop to tip it over the bar.
Chapman was again called into action at the other end, tipping Callum Gribbin’s shot round the post at full stretch.
But the hosts took the lead when Grant caught the goalkeeper off his line with a remarkable effort from just inside the Bolton half.
The forward nearly had a second moments later after beating the offside trap, but Chapman made a smart stop with his body.
Shaw then doubled United’s lead, latching onto Gribbin’s through ball and keeping his cool to go round the goalkeeper before slotting home from a tight angle.
The midfielder could have extended the hosts’ leaded even further after finding space in the box, but his thumping strike cannoned off the foot of the post.
But the third goal eventually came on the stroke of half time, with Grant building over the line from close range after the Whites had failed to deal with a corner. There were a few appeals for offside but the linesman’s flag stayed down.
After the break, Gerald Sithole tried his luck from outside the box but the forward couldn’t keep his shot down.
Alex Wollerton then got into a dangerous area on the right but Chapman got a strong hand to his low drive across goal.
Connor Stanley went close to pulling one back for the Whites, curling just wide of the post after cutting onto his left foot.
Arran Pettifer also tried his luck from distance and had the goalkeeper worried with a fizzing strike that very nearly found the bottom corner.
But Wanderers got their breakthrough 10 minutes from time when Khumbeni stroked home after some good play by Sam Inwood on the left flank.
Substitute Paul Ennis fired wide from a tight angle after a well worked counter attack during the final stages.
Matt Craddock’s side will resume their Central League campaign after the New Year. They are currently second in the table, only behind Blackpool on goal difference at this stage.
Chapman, Sackey, Toure, Trialist, Inwood (Kamara), Khumbeni, Tweedley (Sharples), Pettifer, Stanley, Jones (Frimpong), Sithole (Loureiro)
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