BOLTON RUFC overpowered visitors Upper Eden to chalk up an emphatic 23-0 win in their first outing of the year.

Kieran Shacklock, Nick Duncan and Niall Murphy touched down for the Cherry and Whites in a victory based on forward muscle and stout defence.

The Avenue Street side had not had it all their own way, and only held a slender six-point lead at the break, courtesy of two Joe Speakman penalties.

But, strong in the scrum and dominant at the line-out, Bolton crossed three times in a second half in which each side had three players sin-binned by the referee, a late replacement for the original official who was unable to travel from the Isle of Man.

Not that head coach Dave Crouch was complaining, despite his side playing with 12 men at one stage.

“I don’t know if the referee got a new yellow card for Christmas but, to be honest, I thought he did very well and I agreed with his decisions,” he said. “Some might have been harsh but they were mostly for high tackles.

“We played well though, Eden were difficult to break down but we played some really good rugby, especially late on.

“We knew we had to win the forward battle in order to let the backs do their work, and we did that, we were really secure in our forward play.”

Bolton’s whitewash means they travel to Salford and De La Salle this Saturday in fifth place in the North Lancs/Cumbria division, five points behind third-placed Della, a side they beat 22-10 in November.

And Crouch expects another battle up front but has confidence in his pack to provide the basis for another victory.

That belief appears well placed, with three of his forwards recently winning county representative honours, as well as club captain Rhys Pritchard.

Second-row forward Louis Critchlow was named alongside Pritchard in the new Lancashire Royals XV, with second row Tony McLaughlin and flanker Ash Cooper facing them in the Anti Assassins side.

The match – for players outside the top four levels of English rugby – took place in Christmas week and saw the Royals win 20-12, helped by centre Pritchard’s late try.

“It is excellent news for the club,” said Crouch, who had been asked to nominate players for the Royals’ trials.

“Ash was picked for the AA team, a side with some National Level players in, after he was played out of position, at number eight, in the trials and Rhys and Louis will play again for the Royals over Easter.

“All four are a real credit to the club.”