Bolton win...

With a shortage of substitutes and full back James Sharples in the back row, Bolton kicked off their first Blacksticks match at Eccles in the third of three consecutive games against our close and fierce rivals.

Bolton opened the scoring with a try from Josh Padmore, but Eccles soon took the lead with a converted try. This process was repeated with Myles Garth’s try being cancelled by Eccles, who extended their lead by virtue of two successful conversions to nil.

Despite the score, the Bolton boys never stopped attacking the Eccles line, Josh Padmore and Sean Carragher making large inroads time after time. More tries were forthcoming and the game looked a foregone conclusion with the sin binning of the Eccles number eight for a third consecutive high tackle on Myles Garth and Joel Matthews.

In a moment of rashness Seb Donnelly scrag tackled his Eccles opponent and a yellow card was inevitable. Seb was gutted and Eccles could sense Bolton blood from the ensuing penalty. A short tap penalty was met by Sean Carragher, who met the challenge head on in his usual style, and the stuffing literally went out of Eccles as Sean emerged from the collision with the ball in hand and a look of mischief on his face.

That was all the inspiration that the tight five; Ethan Greenwood, Lewis Picton, Piers Skeels Caldwell, Josh Padmore and Sean needed. Time after time they hammered into Eccles and off loaded to close the game down with five minutes to go.

30*-14 was the published score and a good start against a tough set of Eccles boys who improved week on week as they worked out the way to contain the red and black wave.

Man of the match to Ethan Greenwood for his dynamic driving play, LB award to Jake Rimmer for giving the coaches a scare with his first two kicks. A few shandies and off home to watch the rest of the world cup.