Latics haunted by Eaves brace

YOUNG GUN at the double... former Athletic striker Tom Eaves struck twice as Bolton Wanderers defeated Lee Duxbury’s side 4-0 last night.

A TWO-GOAL salvo from Tom Eaves reminded Athletic of what they are missing last night.

The tall striker, who turned 19 last week, hit a brace for Bolton Wanderers as Lee Duxbury’s Athletic second-string crashed to a 4-0 defeat in the Manchester Senior Cup tie.

Eaves was sold to the Premier League outfit at the beginning of the season for a six-figure sum plus add-ons, and he took only 11 minutes to get on the score sheet against his former employers at Leyland by lobbing the ball over Greg Fleming.

The same player struck again soon after with a shot that cannoned off the crossbar and over the line and Tope Obadeyi made it three on the stroke of half-time.

Eaves created the fourth midway through the second half with a clever backheel which Alex McQuade converted.

On the plus side for Athletic, Lewis Alessandra came through the first half without any problems despite taking a hefty knock and could now be involved in the senior squad for Saturday’s home clash with Brentford.

Manager Paul Dickov wasn’t present at the game, as he was elsewhere on a scouting mission.

Last night’s results in npower League One were kind to Athletic.

Play-off chasing Milton Keynes Dons unexpectedly crashed to only their second home defeat of the season, going down 3-1 against Plymouth as the Pilgrims bounced back from their own home 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dickov’s men at the weekend.

The result leaves eighth-placed Athletic only a point behind the Dons with two games in hand.

Bournemouth, in fourth, drew 0-0 at Rochdale (see Page 35), while Bristol Rovers, now managed by Dave Penney, produced the same scoreline at home against Hartlepool.