Match report: Bolton 1 PNE 2

The Lilywhites trailed at the interval to a Liam Trotter goal but a half-time change of system sparked them into life and inspired the victory.

Jordan Hugill equalised with a brave header from Adam Reach's centre in the 57th minute, then substitute Eoin Doyle got the last touch to fellow sub's Marnick Vermijl shot to get the winner four minutes from time.

The goals were scored in front of 4,432 North End supporters - many in bowler hats - who had made the short trip to Horwich.

It was the first time since 2005 they had been able to celebrate Gentry Day with a victory.

A win had looked unlikely in the first half, with PNE affording Bolton far too much room in midfield, that allowing the home side to launch a succession of attacks.

Trotter was not closed down on the edge of the box when he gave them the lead, the change from 3-5-2 to 4-3-3 at the break rectifying the problems faced in the first half.

North End looked much more of a threat in the second half and once Hugill had levelled, you sensed that they could go on to get a winner.

Hugill and Callum Robinson had come into the side, replacing Paul Huntington (thigh strain) and Joe Garner (suspended).

Huntington's absence saw Greg Cunningham move into the back three with Adam Reach starting in the left-back role.

Up front, Hugill and Robinson were paired together, with Robinson playing off centre-forward Hugill.

Grayson named only six subs, one of those being teenager Clive Smith.

Neil Kilkenny returned to the bench after a two-game absence with injury but Alan Browne was still ruled out with a hip injury.

North End almost took the lead with just 17 seconds played, that after Bolton had taken kick-off.

The ball was won in midfield, with Robinson's pass giving Reach space to run into down the left-wing.

Reach's cross into the box found Hugill, his header clipping the top of the bar and going over the bar.

Soon after, Hugill got beyond the home defence down the inside-left channel but his touch was heavy as he tried to bring the ball under control and the opening went begging.

After that decent start, North End started to drop too deep, giving Bolton the room to play in midfield.

Liam Feeney cut inside from the left and had a shot which Tom Clarke charged down at the expense of a corner.

From the resulting corner, Gary Madine climbed to angle a downward header wide of the target.

A shot from Zach Clough struck Calum Woods on the back and looped into the gloves of Anders Lindegaard.

Clough put a header straight at Lindegaard after being picked out by a Feeney cross and the home side's pressure paid off when they took a 22nd minute lead.

The North End defence did not press Clough close enough when he got the ball just inside the box, allowing him to lay the ball back to Trotter who stroked a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Both set of fans took part in a minute's applause in the 33rd minute to mark this week's 70th anniversary of the Burnden Park disaster when 33 football fans lost their lives.

Paul Gallagher saw a shot from the edge of the box deflect off a Bolton defender and behind for a corner.

Him and Darren Pratley clashed just before half-time, going face-to-face after Preston had won a free-kick.

They were booked by referee Paul Tierney, as was Bailey Wright who had joined in initially as peace-maker before getting involved with Pratley.

North End switched to a flat back four and a 4-3-3 system for the start of the second half and how it benefited them.

The equaliser came in the 57th minute, Cunningham leading the attacking with a strong run out of his own half and down the left-wing.

He played the ball out to Robinson who clipped the ball into the middle where Reach got it on the side of the six-yard box with his back to goal.

Reach hooked it over his shoulder and Hugill got his head among the boots to send a diving header over the line, the keeper getting a hand to it but unable to prevent it trickling over the line.

Hugill got a whack on the head from Dean Moxey's boot for his troubles but was soon up off the floor to join in the celebrations.

Bolton responded with a shot from Mark Davies which was gathered comfortably by Lindegaard.

Gallagher forced a diving save out of Paul Rachubka with a shot from 20 yards, Calum Woods' clever cross field pass having found him in space.

The game continued at a hectic pace, neither side able to string together a decent number of passes, with play switching from end to end.

Another shot from Gallagher bobbled wide, while Clough wasted a great chance at the other end, lifting a shot over the bar from the edge of the box after Dean Moxey's pass had given him the opening.

Vermijl came on for Johnson in the 78th minute, with Doyle thrown on for the tiring Hugill six minutes later.

It was soon after Doyle's arrival that North End hit the winner to send the away end into wild celebrations.

Cunningham drove down the left and put too much power on his cross which travelled across the box and beyond the far post.

But Vermijl got to it and volleyed goalwards, the ball appearing to hit Doyle which took it past a covering defender on the line.

North End saw out the last few minutes in relative comfort and had the ball in the net a third time when Doyle swept home a Vermijl cross, only to see the flag go up against him for offside.

Bolton: Rachubka, Wilson (Dobbie 88), Derik, Holding, Moxey, Davies, Pratley (Silva 69), Trotter, Feeney, Clough (Woolery 84), Madine. Subs (not used): Vela, Danns, Finney, Campbell.

PNE: Lindegaard, Clarke, Wright, Cunningham, Woods, Pearson, Gallagher (Welsh 90), Johnson (Vermijl 78), Reach, Robinson, Hugill (Doyle 84). Subs (not used): Kilkenny, Smith, Kirkland.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Wigan)

Attendance: 18,423 (4,432 PNE)