Bolton U14’s v Wigan U14’s

Lancashire Junior Rugby Challenge - Group Stage Game 2

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Final Score Bolton 30 - Wigan 0

Bolton under 14’s entertained Wigan in the second fixture of the qualifying pool stage of the Lancashire Junior Rugby Challenge and emerged with all five points on offer from the tie to remain top of their group.

In a physical encounter, Bolton had Ben Mallevialle returning from injury into the second row and prop Connor Winteringham available and the pack were dominant in the breakdown from the off, giving Wigan no room to develop their passing game.

After two efforts that the home side thought were tries had been disallowed for earlier infringements, flanker Fred Holt Gregson got on the scoresheet after six minutes following a strong drive from Oskar Chadderton and great distribution from Ben Price.

Bolton’s lead was extended by wing Logan Singleton scoring his first ever try after capitalising on great work from Winteringham .

This season’s top scorer Oliver Keogh got on the scoresheet on the stroke of half time taking a pass from Leon Hodson and running the ball home.

Keogh got on the scoresheet again after the restart with a fine solo effort. Not to be outdone, Hodson managed to extend the Bolton lead with two further tries, before Singleton got his second. At the end, Sam Atherton gave the scoreline an extra gloss with a try scored from a well drilled set piece lineout move.

In all, this was a great team display with Bolton strong in all areas of the field. Next week is away to a formidable Fylde team, before the challenge competition resumes later in the autumn.

Bolton 7 – 69 Macclesfield

Rugby can be an unforgiving game. Football teams have an 8 yard wide and 8 foot high target to defend and can talk of parking the bus; sometimes even the best teams are unable to find a way through. Rugby teams have the width of the try line – at least 60 metres – to defend, and the better teams will always eventually find a way of overcoming even the most stubborn defence. If the defence is less than resolute and the opposition possess pace and awareness then it makes for apparently one-sided encounters.

So it was at Avenue Street on Sunday when Bolton Colts played their first home match of the season against Macclesfield. From the kick off it was apparent that the opposition had arrived with a strong and combative pack of forwards and pacey backs. Bolton would have to be at their best to stay in the contest, but they chose the wrong day to be slightly off their game. It was a lack of intent and intensity in defence that proved their undoing as a good Macclesfield team found space round the outside and, more worryingly, through the middle of the Bolton defence as the home side fell off too many tackles. Having conceded 5 tries before half time Bolton did score a good try of their own through Alex Tonge following breaks by stand-in stand off James Evans and then Keir Kennick, but it was a bright spot in an otherwise chastening afternoon. It was one way traffic in the second half as Macclesfield ran in a further 6 tries through the misfiring home defence. Ollie Thompson worked tirelessly to stem the flow and James Evans showed the necessary desire and intent in both attack and defence, but there were precious few other performances to highlight.

Sporting clichés were invented for matches such as this one: lessons will be learnt and it is no disgrace to lose to a side as good as Macclesfield etc., but it was the manner of the defeat which shows how much work needs to be done.

It was the second time this team has played together and there is a lot of potential to be developed. These early matches in the preliminary leagues are designed to find the appropriate level for the teams to play, so there will be opportunities for better performances to come. It is up to all involved to make sure the team are harder to play against to take advantage of these opportunities.

Game 1 v Oldham

Bolton under 12’s entertained Oldham and Burnley in our first fixture of the Lancashire U12s Waterfall

In a physical encounter, Bolton showed great team spirit and and defended well from the kick off and managed to rip the ball from the opponents to run in the first of 6 tries. Bolton defended well throughout the match and showed great team spirit passing the ball out to set up the six tries 2 scored by new player Jake Ludwig, the others by Henry Ainscough, Daniel McGuinness, Josh Bentley-Hughes, Harry Conner

Game 2 v Burnley

Again Bolton defended brilliantly to a big Burnley side and showed great team spirit to take control of the game with some awesome tackling. Bolton took control of the game running in another fantastic 6 tries scored by Louie Ramm, Harry Conner, Evan Dare, Josh Bentley-Hughes, Ashton Mukiibi. A massive shout to all the squad for a fantastic team performance