Which is not to say that a diluted Norwich and a comparatively disorganised Wolves failed

Which is not to say that a diluted Norwich and a comparatively disorganised Wolves failed to come up with a spirited game only a few months after the spirit of Carrow Road seemed to have faded beyond clairvoyance. But for some nit-picking refereeing and self-confessed tactical blunders by Wolves' manager, Mark McGhee, the outcome would probably have been the draw that had always looked likely. Substitutes not used: Roberts (gk), Maddix.Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): Branagan; McAnespie, Fairclough, Taggart, Phillips; Lee, Frandsen, Thomspon, Johansen (Sellars, 81); McGinley, Blake. Substitutes not used: Taylor, Todd.Bookings: Queen's Park Rangers: McDonald. Bolton: Blake, McAnespie.Referee: K Sleach (Wolverhampton).Man of the match: Thompson.Attendance: 11,225.. There is much worse value.Goals: McGinlay (28) 0-1; McDonald (79) 1-1; Thompson (90) 1-2.Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Sommer; Jackson, Yates, McDonald, Brevett; Murray, Wilkins (Slade, 62), Quashie, Brazier; Dichio, Sinclair.

But Thompson followed a sweet turn with a magnificent finish and Bolton now find themselves 9-2 to finish on top. The player-manager himself struck a rising shot just too high and Paul Murray's incisive right-wing surge so nearly obtained its reward.When McDonald popped up with a close-in header from a 79th minute corner, that looked to be that. "If you want it badly enough, who knows what's possible and our spirit is first class."His Danish newcomers, Per Frandsen and Michael Johansen, worked hard and it was the former's lashing strike in the 28th minute which came back off a post and found McGinlay quickest to respond.Until then Rangers had held the upper hand, with Daniele Dichio a bustling menace and Wilkins organising the youngsters around him in midfield with intelligence. Once in front Bolton looked the more likely of last season's relegated pair to make the return to the promised land."After the last game I sat the players down and told them we didn't want to go through that experience again, that if we stayed mentally strong we'd have a chance this season," Todd said. The bad news before was that Kevin Gallen, their England Under-21 striker with three goals already to his name from the opening fixtures, had ruptured cruciate knee ligaments in the victory at Portsmouth and will miss the remainder of the season.Ray Wilkins' squad is hardly equipped to sustain such a blow and he will be seeking some of new owner Chris Wright's fortune to improve that situation.The lesson to be learned is that while Bolton have lost star names (Stubbs and Curcic) Colin Todd has bought well to replace them. Before the start it was Rangers who ranked favourites but, having outmanoeuvred them, Bolton went on to take over that mantle and also leadership of the First Division. Thompson's injury-time winner, after John McGinlay had pin-pointed him with an astute pass, got Bolton off the hook, because serious dressing- room questions would have been posed had QPR held onto the point Alan McDonald's equaliser seemed to have achieved.For the home side the season's first defeat was the second choker of the weekend. Queen's Park Rangers 1 Bolton Wanderers 2 With a wonderful, swerving sweep of his left foot, Alan Thompson sent the man from Ladbrokes scurrying to revise his promotion odds.

In the heady final atmosphere, they could well start to look good value at William Hill's offer of 11-8.Only in the Premiership football market could a team like Newcastle make a dismal start but remain 4-1, on the strength of dubious old "form". Newcastle are being treated by the bookmakers as if they had won last season's Premiership and then made a sticky start this time. As they, in fact, threw away last season's Premiership with a series of inept performances - entirely in keeping with their efforts so far this term - that 4-1 on offer for Newcastle has to be one of the worst value bets around.Those who have missed the good ship value in the shape of Chelsea (advised at both 25-1 and 20-1 in this neck of the woods of late and now 10-1 with Hills), could do worse than give each-way consideration to in-form Everton (18-1 with Coral).. Essex can cause a minor upset by beating Lancashire in the NatWest Final at Lord's this Saturday. The one-day specialists Lancashire showed their well- being in the bowling department when skittling Sussex out for 144 at Hove on Saturday. However, even allowing for the state of the Hove wicket, their previous 218 in the same fixture is nothing to write home about. And, at 8-15 with William Hill, Lancashire look much too short a price. Essex, who have notched a 372 - including a century from Nasser Hussain - at Headingley in recent days, are in good nick themselves.

Substitutes used: Kaarsberg, Smith, Hardy, Jabboury.Western Samoa: Mamoe; Fa'apito, Mareko, Saumolia, S.Murray; L Hepi, Ioane; Ailao, Alaimoana, Fatuleai, J Hepi, Malu, Loau. Substitutes used: Pitman, Siolo, M Murray, Fiso.Referee: S Ganson (England).The World Cup has seen the standard of student rugby league high and rising - another compelling match on Saturday saw New Zealand edge out France 22-20 to claim third place.. Substitutes used: Crane, Hutchinson, O'Brien, Charles.Referee: R Smith (Castleford).. Australia 28 Western Samoa 16 Australia could have played in bin-liners in the Halifax Student Rugby League World Cup final at Salford on Saturday and it would still have been obvious where they came from, writes Dave Hadfield. After a first half during which the sheer power and enthusiasm of the Samoans kept them abreast, the traditional Australian virtues of fitness, organisation and supporting the man with the ball saw the holders safely to victory in the second.Urged on by the excellence of their centres, Totolo Mareko and Fa'aliga Saumolia, and their second-rowers, Jason Hepi and Tom Malu, the physically imposing islanders fought back to stand at 16-16 at half-time.Their fierce commitment had harried the Australians into uncharacteristic errors, but, after 10 minutes of the second half, the young men in the familiar green and gold took control.Second tries for the stand-off, Matt Evans, and the centre, Matt Miller, took Australia clear and a glorious handling move, rounded off by Andrew Lee, made it three in nine minutes.Malu was within inches of replying for Samoa, whose bulk is the best advert that hall of residence food has ever had, before Ken Jabboury underlined Australia's command in injury time.Australia: Mills; Suey, Miller, Brennan, Wardle; Evans, Lee; Lockwood, Brady, Tookey, Phillips, Minz, Thurston.

Substitutes used: Watson, Martin, Burgess, Randall.Hull Kingston Rovers: M Fletcher; Goldborne, Atkins; D'Arcy, Rouse, Allen, Gene; Dammatt, Hoe, Hardy, Wilson, P Fletcher, Stewart. Their New Zealsnd loose forward, Sam Panapa, who was playing his last game at The Willows before retirement, was the key man, scoring one try and setting up two others as Salford raced into a 16-0 lead.At that point, the difference between the two sides looked potentially embarrassing, but Rovers deserved credit for their fightback in the middle of the game.Immediately after Darren Rogers had what would have been the fourth Salford try disallowed, Mike Fletcher kicked ahead and Kieran Allen reached the ball to touchdown.Salford stretched their lead after the break with Mark Lee's first try and two goals from Steve Blakeley, but Rovers caused a flutter of concern with quick tries from Paul Rouse and Rob D'Arcy.With Sam Stewart and the Papua New Guinea scrumhalf, Stanley Gene, orchestrating their attacks, a major upset looked possible until Salford reasserted their status with tries from Nathan McAvoy and Lee in the last ten minutes.Salford: Hampson; Rogers, McAvoy; Naylor, Sini, Blakeley, Lee; Blease, Edwards, Eccles, Savelio, Forber, Panata. Substitutes used: Graham, Donougher, Tomlinson, Medley.Referee: D Campbell (Widnes).. Salford 36 Hull Kingston Rovers 16 Hull Kingston Rovers' failure to bridge the gap between the First and Second Divisions in the opening and closing stages ensured that it will be Salford making the journey to Old Trafford on Sunday, writes Dave Hadfield. The Second Division champions were undone by a first 15 minutes, during which Salford showed the sort of form that has won them promotion to Super League. It all made for a spectacle which had Edwards marvelling at rugby league's failure to grab the imagination of the whole nation.By contrast, his successor as Wigan captain, Andy Farrell, said that, when it came to perennial Wigan strengths such as controlling the ball and keeping their shape in defence, their performance had been rubbish. It truly is a funny old game - because both of them were right.Wigan: Radlinski; Ellison, Tuigamala, Connolly, Robinson; H Paul, Edwards; Cowie, Hall, O'Connor, Haughton, Cassidy, Farrell.