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The game marked the return of long term injury victims Florent Laville and Ricardo Gardner who both completed a half each against the Merseysiders, the duo seemed to feel no after effects of their injuries which will have pleased the Bolton manager Sam Allardyce.
Portuguese striker Ricardo Vaz-Te gave Bolton the lead on eight minutes when he headed home a cross by Frenchman Kribib Reda. The lead lasted just ten minutes as Neil Mellor brought the Reds back on level terms when he fired past Kevin Poole in the Wanderers goal after beating a couple of defenders.
Liverpool then took the advantage shortly after the re-start when Mellor added his second of the game after good work by fellow striker Florent Sinama Pongolle. Mellor could have made the game safe with his hat trick but was denied superbly by the veteran Poole in the Trotters goal.
The returning Gardner had a hand in the Bolton equaliser when his cross was diverted past Patrice Luzi by Liverpool defender Djimi Traore. Neil McDonald's reserve team finish bottom of the reserve league but the performance against the Reds was one of their better games of the campaign.