Bolton Wanderers Women were beaten for the first time since September as they exited the Alliance Design and Print Cup following a battling 2-1 defeat away to Poulton Vics on Sunday afternoon.
Myles Smith’s team made it to Round Three following a victory over higher league opposition in the form of Tranmere Rovers in the previous round, setting up this tie against the league leaders of the Division One South.
Wanderers made two changes to the starting side from their last outing, with Hannah Baldwin returning from injury in her first minutes since September alongside Liv Ball, replacing Lexi Williams and Erin Smith.
The game kicked off with an early chance for Bolton as Charlotte Tyers delivered a corner that found Liv Ball at the far post. The defender rose to head the ball towards goal, but her effort struck the bar and away, before the rebound was turned over.
But the hosts, reeling from their first defeat of the season last weekend, also started strongly and looked to threaten in the early stages, with attacking opportunities presented but failing to convert at the final moment.
With that, Wanderers went in search of the opener and Faye Knox had a superb chance to put Bolton ahead with a trademark free-kick from all of 25 yards. The strike looked destined for the top corner, but the Poulton 'keeper produced an outstanding save, tipping the ball over the bar to keep the score level.
The hosts pushed forward having survived the Knox scare, and broke the deadlock with a well-worked goal on the twenty-minute mark. A ball across goal found an unmarked attacker at the far post, who made no mistake, tapping in to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Typically, Bolton responded quickly and within 10 minutes, they were level. A wonderful through ball put Knox into space, with her effort beating the 'keeper but hitting the post - but Eboni Bradshaw was quickest to react and followed up superbly to turn into the empty net and claim her 10th goal of the season.
Moments after getting back on level terms, Wanderers had goalkeeper Eve Ebanks to thank for keeping the scores all-square when making a magnificent save to deny a close-range effort when a ball was flashed across the face of Wanderers' goal.
However, the hosts regained the lead just two minutes later from the penalty spot, with the spot-kick finished coolly into the bottom corner - handing Ebanks no chance.
The framework came to Wanderers' rescue just before the break when an effort from a tight angle in the right channel arrowed towards the top corner, but cannoned off the woodwork and away from danger.
The away side were trying to regain a foothold in the encounter and getting back to their usual free-flowing attacking football, but struggled to create any real opportunities before the break as they headed into half-time a goal behind.
The second half would turn into a battle between the two sides, with chances coming at a premium throughout the 45 minutes with bookings and defensive efforts coming to the forefront of most of the action.
Wanderers went in search of an equaliser however, and made changes with the introductions of Lexi Williams, Madison Hardman and Emme Shone in an effort to freshen things up - but the game remained tight.
On the hour mark, Neishai Gordon had a chance to get Bolton back level, when she beat a couple of defenders to drive into the area and find half-a-yard to get her low effort away, but the 'keeper was down well to save.
At the other end Ebanks was called into action again, this time at full stretch to superbly tip over a dangerous free kick, keeping the visitors in the game as it headed into the closing stages.
But as time ticked on and despite forcing a number of set pieces in dangerous areas, Wanderers failed to find the leveller they were looking for as Poulton Vics secured their passage into the next round.
Myles Smith's sides focus now immediately turns to more cup action next week, when hosting Preston North End on home soil in the semi-final of the County Cup on Sunday 16th February.
Wanderers: Ebanks (GK), Clarke, Ball, Baldwin ©, Bradshaw, M. Smith, Seals, Knox, Gordon, Tyers, Lightfoot.
Subs: Ardin, Hardman, Barnes, Shone, L. Williams
Report by Katherine Byrne. Pictures by Jake Horrocks.