AFTER a hard summer of fitness training and drills a strong team performance saw Bolton under-13s beat their hosts Liverpool St Helens by six tries to three.

The team was led out on Sunday by captain Connor Whittle, sporting a shiner sustained in warm up.

A slow, error-strewn start by both teams meant a scrappy opening few minutes but six minutes in Leon Hodson ran in his first try, finishing off a well-rehearsed set play from a free pass. LSH came back with some good play of their own and some loose tackling from Bolton allowed them to level the match a couple of minutes later.

Bolton had a bigger and tighter pack that was a constant course of good ball for the backs to use and Bolton restored their advantage on 14 minutes. Winning a scrum against the head on their own try line, they worked the ball out to Oliver Keogh to run a beautiful line from a switch with Ben Price breaking through the defence and then running the length of the pitch in a fine solo effort.

The forwards kept the pressure on at the breakdown with excellent work from Levi Waite, Sam Atherton, Oliver Belle and Connor Winteringham. The ball was carried up to LSH's line where Price picked up from the back of the ruck to squeeze over the line to make the score 3-1 with 15 minutes played.

Ten minutes later, Hodson went over twice in quick succession, the first try coming from good awareness and passing by Tyler Maley and Ed Perris, and his hat-trick that sealed victory was a fine solo run from try line to try line straight from the kick-off to make the score 5-1.

Bolton took the foot off the gas, and allowed the Liverpool side to battle back into the match with two great tries, before Mark Glynn – having had an earlier try disallowed – received the ball from Price to score a deserved try in the last minute to make the final score 6-3.

The victory was based on dominant play from the Bolton pack who won the scrum, ruck and maul and created space for the backs to flourish and take the glory. On this evidence it could be a bright season for the u13s.