Wanderers crowned champion

Bolton Wanderers - Newcastle United   3:0 (2:0)

Bolton Wanderers second-string have been crowned champions of the Barclays Premiership Reserve League North with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Newcastle United at the County Ground, Leyland in the final match of the campaign.

With nearest rivals for the title Manchester City going down 2-0 against Sheffield United at Saltergate a sixth successive victory in the league enabled Wanderers to leapfrog Manchester United to claim their first title at this level since 1995.

Bolton's youngsters - with an average of 18 - dominated the match from start to finish. First half goals from impressive strikers Kevin Wolze and Topi Obadeyi took Wanderers clear at the break and a further strike from the impressive Obadeyi in the opening minute of the second half was enough to secure an excellent victory.

Wanderers had the opening chance of the game on seven minutes, when a free-kick on the left by Chris Basham found Robert Sissons unmarked in the box, but the young midfielder couldn't direct his header towards goal.

Ten minutes later, German youth international Kevin Wolze intercepted a Newcastle United pass and drove his shot from an acute angle on the left, which Fraser Forster saved well in the United goal.

With the game in their favour, Wanderers upped the tempo and managed to score the opening goal of the contest on 21 minutes, when the impressive Basham drilled the ball forward from deep to find Wolze flying down the left hand channel. The young striker, in full stride, controlled the ball and in one motion smashed his shot home from just inside the Magpies area for a superbly taken goal.

Wanderers increased their lead on 37 minutes, when 'keeper Al Habsi quickly distributed the ball with a well-timed long throw to the advancing Wolze. The youngster superbly split the Newcastle defence with an excellent through ball to the lively Topi Obadeyi who outpaced defender Chris Shanks and with ease slid his shot beautifully beyond Forster to put Wanderers well in control of the game.

Two minutes from half-time, Obadeyi showed why he is an excellent striker when he turned Alex Patterson in the area and got his shot in early. Luckily for the Magpies, Forster was up to the task and made a good save from close-range.

The match was sealed in the first minute of the second half, when the busy Obadeyi scored his second goal of the night with a well-taken effort from close-range.

On 56 minutes, David Edgar had the Magpies first opportunity of the match, when his flicked shot was heading to goal only to be cleared off the line by Blazej Augustyn.

On 73 minutes a superb sweeping move down the left by Nathan Wolfe and Obadeyi nearly put young Wolze clear again in the box, but with the goal at his mercy he headed wide of the target.

Eight minutes from time, Wanderers should have extended their lead when a header from Sissons from point blank range was cleared off the line.

The Magpies managed a consolation goal on 41 minutes from centre-back Edgar, when he headed home from close-range.

Wanderers will now face the winners of the southern section in a championship play-off in May.

Wanderers: Al Habsi, Sinclair, Jamieson, Basham, Augustyn, Fojut, Thompson, Sissons, Obadeyi, Wolze, Wolfe.

Subs not used: Ellis, Kazimierczak, Gbemie, Brooks, Sheridan.

Magpies: Forster, Patterson, Shanks, Gate (Wrightson 53), Francis, Edgar, Doninger (Godsmark 45), O'Brien, Ameobi (Donaldson 70), Troisi, Pattison.

Subs not used: Marwood, Grieve.

Wanderers 3

Wolze 21

Obadeyi 37, 46

Magpies 1

Edgar 41

HT: 2-0

Attendance: 255

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