Bolton Miss Out in Local Derby

The answer - both hold the dreams and passions of many people within their grasp. Both are enigmatic places fraught with danger ( granted Everest may not suffer the hazard of chavs on motor bikes racing up and down the slopes but I think it is a pretty dangerous place) and I am pretty sure that come 2.15pm on Saturday both places were nothing but a frozen and icy tundra of desolate bleakness.

However after the best efforts of Jimmy " Yeti" Kay and his wizened little helper Sherpa "Warren" Tensing the Bolton pitch was transformed from resembling Santa's back garden to something resembling a rugby pitch. A fairly lengthy conflab took place with Les " Bolton RUFC is my home" Towler and it was decided to leave the decision up to the coaches from Bolton and Oldham with some input from the rather diminutive form of the referee who had travelled across from Yorkshire. With the referee agreeing to "give it a go" ( the only decision he could be sure he got correct all day) it was revealed that the referee was actually a high class rugby league referee who was being assessed for the day, the fact that he reffed the other code may explain some of the rather obtuse decisions in the scrum during the course of the afternoon.

As the winter showers had abated Bolton warmed up in a rather strange fashion with "Man Vs Scrum Machine" being the entertainment for the good sized crowd who had turned out to cheer the Bolton team on in this passionate local derby. Returning Oldham coach Guy LOVGREEN ( do you know that his family are the only Lovgreen's in the UK?) took more lackadaisical approach as he watched his props warmed up by kicking the ball to each other. The exact words were something like " Well I could give them a warm up but they would only f4cking forget it anyway one minute later so why waste my breath?"

Anyhow the game commenced and soon Bolton found themselves pinned back in their own 22 through some odd refereeing decisions, some indiscipline around the ruck and the inability to control the ball in contact. Oldham were awarded two penalties which their ten, who would have an influence all afternoon, converted with aplomb to leave Oldham six points to the good.

The second of these penalties seemed to sting Bolton into action and they began to exert some forward power over the Oldham pack leading to yards being made around the paddock. Once or twice when the ball was spun wide the Bolton backs made a small amount of ground, with the returning Pritchard and Andy "Ginger is Best" Murtagh crashing the ball up to keep the momentum going. Oldham were forced into conceding penalties for their indiscipline at the offside line and Doherty pushed the ball downfield to give Bolton the set piece. From an early stage of the game Bolton's line out was in the ascendency and it was from the ensuing line out the forwards gathered the ball and drove towards the Oldham. Oldham, to their credit, defended superbly and a scrum was awarded after the ball was held up. The crowd held their breath with a fond belief that the Bolton scrum was the stronger and so it proved, as they drove for the line though a mistake led to the ball being turned over and the Oldham line was cleared.

However it was only to be a temporary respite as from the next line out Bolton again secured possession and drove over the line to see a well deserved five points awarded. The conversion was unfortunately missed by returning Bolton student Mark Doherty.

Bolton knew now that they had a chance to take the game by the scruff of the neck with the scores lying at 5-6, and the pack made attempts to do just this. Both Cooper and Chris "Bowling Ball" Mee made good yards but continual mistakes or the lack of the final pass meant that Bolton suffered from their lack of ability to convert pressure into points. Oldham continually managed to clear the ball from their lines and made good yards through a few flowing backs moves and their two props who crashed ball up with effect around the fringes. However it was well and truly a stalemate as half time came around.

The second half began much as the first Bolton attacking, Oldham kicking clear, Bolton attacking, Oldham kicking clear. That was until a strange ten minute passage of play changed the game around. A chance counter attack with a chip over the top found the recovering Bolton player isolated and he was penalised for holding onto the ball. Oldham slotted the penalty to take their lead to 5 - 9.

But Bolton again stuck the bit between their teeth and from the next kick off Oldham attempted to clear only to be driven back towards their 22. Under pressure it was their turn to concede a penalty. Bolton opted for lineout and again a great take saw them mauling their way towards and then near over the line. The referee declared held up, scrum Bolton feed on the 5. Bolton's forwards were now like raging beasts and were drooling at the thought of a push over try to highlight their superiority. Bolton tensed and drove, 5 to go, four to go, three to go, one to go and collapse! The referee missed the blatant collapsing of the scrum and play went on with pressure being relieved.

This was not to be Bolton's last chance. In the next two plays Oldham suffered two yellow cards taking them down to 13 men. However due to poor touch finding, a lack of decision making and a general ambivalence towards the opposition Bolton charitably allowed Oldham to steal the ball and sprint up field to put Bolton under pressure with only 13 men on the pitch.

Bolton failed to again get out of their half for the last ten minutes and despite a spark at the end from young Pricthard, Bolton were destined to finish the game as gallant losers - the story of their season so far. A good performance from an under pressure and embattloed Oldham team but Bolton will rue the chance to have put one over on their Lancashire rivals.

This result also means that next weeks home game vs Windermere is listed as a four pointer at this stage of the season.