Bolton storm through to Lancashire Bowl Final

Ashton-Under-Lyne were to provide the opposition as Bolton’s first XV looked to secure themselves a slot in the Lancashire Bowl Final.

Although from the league below A-U-L had had some good results to get themselves where they were and from past seasons playing against them Bolton knew they had a tough afternoon ahead.

Changes from Saturdays team saw Cooper move into his more favoured position at back row along with Keech stepping into 6 from centre. The centre partnership of Bruin and Flanagan was re-kindled for only the 4/5th time this season and Ian Morton made his first team debut at prop.

Bolton began the game with the sun on their backs and a roaring crowd egging them on. Ashton kicked off and the ball was returned with interest by Cooper. The Bolton pack then took over and started to trundle down the pitch through a number of quick rucks and drives, before long the Bolton backline wanted to get involved and scrum-half Mike Singleton was only too happy to assist with clean, fast ball from the base of the rucks. Fly-half Pritchard marshalled his centres well and constantly fed them ball helping them break down the Ashton defence with ease. Bolton dominated in the line-out and one such set play set up crash ball for centre Dave Bruen to break through the Ashton defence only to be brought down 15 metres out. Hard rucking and quick ball from Singleton gave number 8 Cooper a straight run to the line under the posts. Amazingly the conversion was pushed wide by Pritchard and the score stood at 5-0.

Bolton continued in this vain but were well kept out by a resolute Ashton defence until a loose pass from the Ashton scrum half provided Rhys Pritchard with an opportunity to show a clean pair of heels from the half-way line and scoot under for Bolton’s second score of the afternoon. Once again the conversion attempt was missed and the score stood at 10-0.

Ashton then began to turn the screw and through hard drives from their pack they managed to find themselves in the Bolton 22. The pressure told and Bolton gave away a goal kicking opportunity in front of the sticks which Ashton took to bring the score at half time to 10-3.

Bolton realised that Ashton could now smell blood and the only way to secure themselves a final slot was to go for the jugular. They walked back out onto the field with only one thing in mind and started off the half perfectly when a number of crashes and fast flowing backs moves resulted in lock forward Geoff Earle going over for a score. Conversion slotted and Bolton were now sitting pretty at 17-3 in the lead.

They did not, however take their foot off the gas and continued to pepper the tiring Ashton defence. Tempers in the visiting side started to fray and following a real stamping on substitute prop Gareth Evans the Ashton second row found himself dismissed from the field. A strong decision from the referee, but in light of their being no attempt to ruck the ball from the red-carded player, most likely the correct one. Bolton used the 1 man advantage to great effect and a slick handling move saw Chris Flanagan beat his man and go over for the fourth try of the day. Pritchard once again stepped up and slotted the conversion to make the score 24-3.

Ashton returned the ball and Bolton kept possession, Matthew Parrish, on for John Keech charging over the Ashton defence as if it didn’t exist. The ball moved from one side of the field to the other and with the last play of the game came back the other way for Pritchard to slide in at the corner and secure his second and Bolton’s fifth of the match. Conversion from the touchline narrowly missed but Bolton finished victors 29-3.

A strong all round performance against an Ashton team that never gave up. Bolton now look forward to the final to be played at Tyldesley RUFC on 09.04.2012 @ 3pm Vs. Garstang.