Bolton Wanderers defender Liam Edwards took the latest step in his road to recovery by playing the first half of the club's Central League 3-0 loss to Preston North End.
Championship side North End took the lead in the fixture during the first half and had a two-goal advantage at the break thanks to strikes from Michael O'Neill and Joe Rodwell-Grant at Euxton, Wanderers' former training base.
The hosts struck twice in as many minutes after the half-hour mark, PNE summer signing Matthew Olosunde crossing for O'Neill to fire North End ahead.
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And Rodwell-Grant doubled the lead moments later from a corner. as North End led at the break.
The hosts added a third when Adam O'Reilly's effort was deflected over the Wanderers goalkeeper, a trialist, to put the result beyond doubt and inflict Bolton's first loss of their Central League campaign this season.
Edwards took the latest step in his recovery from a series of injuries for Wanderers by starting the game for Sam Hird's side, but was replaced at half-time of the encounter.
The defender has been out since February 2020 after suffering a knee injury in training and last played for Wanderers at the end of January of that year in League One against Bristol Rovers.
For the hosts, Paul Huntington, who has recently been added into the club's 25-man Championship squad, captained North End while Olosunde, who is yet to make his competitive debut, also started as he continues his comeback from an Achilles knock in the pre-season friendly against St Johnstone while away at a Scotland training camp.
PNE starting team: Hudson, Olosunde, Coulton, Leigh, Huntington, Blanchard, Holland-Wilkinson, O'Reilly, Rodwell-Grant, Thomas, O'Neill.
Substitutes: Pradic, Nevin, Mfuni, Lewis, Cross-Adair.
Bolton starting team: Trialist, Burgess, Conway, Sharples, Toure, Edwards, Olawumi, Tweedley, McEvoy, Pettifer, Henry.
Substitutes: Halford, Alexander, Jones, Kamara, Frimpong.
