By Kieron Curtis

BOLTON Mets finally ended their nine-game losing streak in North West Men's Division Three with a 20-16 victory over Burtonwood Bridge.

Their first win since the opening day of the season leaves Mets in ninth on four points, having battled to a welcome win over seventh-placed Burtonwood.

Mets were the first to appear on the score sheet after two club stalwarts combined.

Full-back Mark Dorning released a measured pass to second-rower Neil Walsh, who forced his way over the line before Ken Sackfield converted.

Burtonwood were quick to respond and levelled the game at 6-6 midway through the first half.

Mets would again break the deadlock, and it was to be another effort courtesy of a forward.

Prop Stephen Lowe notched his first try in a Bolton shirt by thundering over the line. This time the conversion was missed, making the score 10-6 in Mets' favour.

But just as before, Burtonwood struck back to level, this time by taking advantage of a Bolton knock-on and gaining advance field position.

They were unable to convert, but the score came on the stroke of half time and dramatically changed Bolton’s team talk.

Bolton re-emerged for the second-half and had scrum-half Stephen Taylor to thank for putting them in command once again.

Taylor ended a superb solo drive by spinning out of a tackle to put the ball down over the line and making the score 14-10 to Bolton.

Burtonwood again fired back, but this time a successful conversion would give them the lead for the first time in the game, 14-16.

The decisive moment came moments after Sackfield was denied on the Burtonwood line.

He offloaded to Taylor who then set up Elliott Duckworth for his first Mets try, touching down in the corner.

Taylor added the extras to seal a 20-16 victory to raise Mets' spirits going in to the final seven games of the season.

Next up for Bolton is the visit of fourth-placed Wigan Bulldogs on Saturday.