Bolton RUFC’s Under-14s delivered an impressive performance to earn a 26-21 victory over Manchester.
They were particularly good in the first half, showcasing strong tackling, sharp passing, and powerful runs.
James Peters was outstanding in the lineouts, consistently securing possession for Bolton, and although the scrums were not as dominant as in the previous game, they remained evenly-matched.
Bolton’s energy was clear, though a few lost possessions in tackles and rucks, along with some unfortunate knock-ons, interrupted their momentum.
However, their tactical play stood out, including a few well-placed cross-field kicks that narrowly missed their mark.
The first try came from Meta Uney Carr on the far left wing, giving Luka Svandise a tough conversion. Luka’s kick had great height and distance but veered just to the right of the post.
The second try came from a scrum on the right, where Joel Reed picked up from the base and ran in from 15 metres to score. Luka, showing great composure, nailed a difficult conversion from a sharp angle.
Bolton continued to dominate, with Saxon Youngman powering through the centre for a third try, leaving Luka with an easy conversion to take the score to 19-0.
The defence was rock-solid, with standout performances from Meta , Joe Duckworth, and Saxon, keeping Manchester from gaining much ground.
However, just before the half-time whistle, Manchester managed to find a gap and score their first try, which they successfully converted, bringing the score to 19-7 at the break.
The second half began with Bolton on the front foot, though an offside call from being too eager at the kick off gave Manchester some early momentum.
Despite this, Bolton’s defensive efforts - especially from Saxon, Joe, and James Peters - kept much of the game in the middle of the field.
There were moments of individual brilliance, including strong runs from Luka and Joel Browne, and a superb interception by Finn Davies, but he could not quite maintain his balance to offload the ball to Joel, who fumbled it.
A lost lineout handed possession to Manchester, who quickly capitalised by passing to their right wing, where their speedy player sprinted past the Bolton defence to score their second try, closing the gap to 19-14 after the conversion.
Manchester continued to attack, exploiting Bolton’s right wing after catching a kick. They passed quickly down the line to their left wing, scoring another try and successfully converting it, putting them ahead 21-19.
But Bolton did not let this setback dampen their spirits. The game became scrappy, with possession lost several times, but the team’s resilience shone through.
And in a dramatic final minute, Saxon picked and drove on Manchester’s try line, bouncing off a would-be defender to secure the winning try. Luka stepped up and successfully converted, just as the final whistle blew.
In the end, Bolton’s perseverance and teamwork earned them a hard-fought and well-deserved win.
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