BOLTON head coach Dave Crouch feels former players watching on Saturday will have enjoyed the game – at least more than they will have liked the conditions underfoot.

The club’s annual former players’ pre-match meal was followed by a game played in far-from ideal conditions for rugby, but the Cherry and Whites adapted to the constant rain better, taking maximum points from a 26-8 win against Littleborough.

And Crouch was delighted as his side maintained their perfect record at Avenue Street with two tries in each half.

Will Bate, Gaz Pritchard, Louis Critchlow and Joe Speakman all touched down, winger Speakman converting three of the four tries that meant Bolton secured their third try-scoring bonus point of the season.

“I’m really pleased with how we played, “said Crouch, whose side sit fourth in the North Lancs/Cumbria division table.

“It was really tricky, it had rained really hard before the match and continued throughout the match.

“It was a bit scrappy but I think we put on a good show for those watching, everybody seemed to be delighted with what they saw anyway.

“Littleborough came into the game with three wins from four games and we knew it would be hard but our defence was really good, particularly during the last five minutes when they were pressing but couldn’t get over the line.

“We’ve been working hard on our defence in training, and the tackles were going in behind the gain line, which was excellent.

“Their big forwards kept getting knocked back and they didn’t know what to do.”

Victory means Bolton remain unbeaten at home but without a win on their travels, something they hope to address when they visit bottom team Hawcoat Park this weekend.

Although they enjoyed success there at the end of last season, Crouch says the Cherry and Whites cannot afford to let their standards slip this time around.

“We scored some excellent tries against Littleborough, Will’s individual try was a lovely one,” added the coach. “He made a fantastic step to get away and glided through.

“And Joe did well in getting the last try, it’s just a shame there were a few wayward passes because we could have had a couple more tries, we were that dominant.

“Hawcoat Park is another difficult place to go, they are better than their position suggests and even though we won there last season we haven’t done well there in the main.

“We know what it will be like, we’ll have virtually the same side out and they’ll have a big group of forwards, so it should be a good game.”