Manchester 35 - Bolton 5

Bolton traveled to the league winners and defending champions with a determined mindset but came up against a red wall in the Manchester defense.

Starting well from the kick off Bolton drove hard at the Manchester pack with and made good ground with Regan Boyce, Joe McHugh, Harry Round and Jack Byrne having good runs with the ball. Once in possession Manchesters game plan kicked into action and it evident that it was to run the ball wide to the big powerful wingers who proved time and again very difficult to stop. Usually passes out of the back of hte hand are reserved for either desperation or an already won game. However Manchester used them from the start and the off loads broke the Bolton defense. After a blitz start Bolton were 19-0 down and on the back foot.

Re grouping the Bolton pack attacked Manchester again and again with Jordan Griffiths, Jake Ryan and Brandon Booth all gaining lots of ground. Bolton quickly started to dominate their opposition and play rugby in the Manchester 22.

The rest of the first half was played deep in Manchester territory but despite getting inches from the line the Cherry and Whites couldn’t find a way through.

The second half started brightly again Bolton pressed and ran hard but still couldn’t break through, Manchester counter attacked with devastating pace.

Boltons big forward runners charged time and time again, eventually it was the sheer power of Alex Tonge playing at inside center that finally broke through the Manchester line.

Rejuvenated Bolton tried again, Jamie Price and Jimmy Holland combining well but unable to score, when Jake Ryan did cross the line such was the ferocity of the defense he couldn’t ground the ball. Such narrow margins did not show in the scoreline which was escalating in Manchester favour. At 35-5 the game was over but credit to Bolton they wanted to continue to play, knowing they were playing a very very good team the final score ended 62-5 to Manchester.
Such was the spirit of the Bolton players – all the Manchester supporters stayed to applaud them off the pitch. Lots of positives to be taken from a guttsy performance.