LONDON (CMC) – Jamaica’s 1998 World Cup star, Ricardo Gardner, led five Caribbean scorers in English football yesterday, but his effort was not good enough to prevent Bolton Wanderers from slipping to defeat against Liverpool in the premier league.

Gardner’s Bolton lost the game 3-2, while other Reggae Boyz, Barry Hayles and Ricardo Fuller, scored for their sides as well, and Trinidadians, Hector Sam and Carlos Edwards, helped power Wrexham to a big win.

At Bolton’s Reebok Stadium, the Czech Republic’s Milan Baros fired Liverpool into a 1-0 lead just before half-time, but Gardner levelled nine minutes into the second half for Bolton, who had stunned Manchester United 1-0 on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, who was transferred from Kingston’s Harbour View for £1million (US$1.55 million) after the France World Cup, latched on to a loose ball, fought his way past two defenders and stuck the ball past Jerzy Dudek in the Liverpool’s goal.

In another premier league fixture, Hayles and Steve Marlet struck second half goals for Fulham to win 3-0 at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

Fulham, lying fifth in the standings, had gone to the half-time break with a 1-0 advantage after Japan World Cup star, Junichi Inamoto, scored in the 34th minute.

In the first division, Preston played to their fifth draw in seven matches this season and needed a late goal from Richard Cresswell to avoid defeat after Fuller had given them an early lead against Sheffield Wednesday.

Fuller, who was transferred this summer from Hearts in Scotland, went close with a diving header two minutes into the game and had another shot tipped over the bar seven minutes later, before scoring in the 12th minute.

He collected a throw and darted into the box with a forceful run before firing a deflected shot into the goal, his team-leading fourth of the season.

Sheffield went ahead through goals from Shefki Kugi (35th) and Paul McLaren (76th), but Cresswell clinched a 2-2 draw for 17th placed Preston six minutes from the end.

Wrexham got splendid goals from Sam and Edwards and cantered past Swansea 4-0 to move to ninth in the division three standings.