Bolton Close out the season with a good performance but no points to show…

Final week unavailability meant that the first xv turned up with a bare 15 against a team that they had so far failed to beat in the last few seasons.

Bolton started the game well and dominated the game up front through the use of their ever present pack. A number of driving mauls saw Bolton within touching distance of the tryline but a resilient home team defence kept the score at 0 – 0. First blood went to Trafford with a penalty for an infringement at the breakdown some 35 metres out.

Bolton responded immediately and with help from constant infringements by the Trafford forwards were able to gain territory through the boot of Pritchard. Froma line out 10 metres out Bolton once again looked to utilise the driving maul and tremendous effort from the front 8 saw skipper Cockton drop on the ball for the 5 pointer and the lead, the conversion slotted beautifully from out wide by fly-half Pritchard.

From the restart Bolton looked for a second score but interesting decisions from the referee at the breakdowns saw the majority of possession given to the home side. The official adjudging players lying over the ball to be making a fair contest for possession at the rucks… MV used the boot of their fly half to put the Bolton back 3 under pressure, a pressure which finally told when a Trafford player sniped around the blind side and brused off two tackles to go over the whitewash. The conversion ably converted by the home teams fly-half. The half ended with a further penalty from Trafford to leave the score at 13-7 on the whistle.

Playing into the wind, Bolton knew they must continue to exert their dominance up front and started with a number of crashing runs through Ash Cooper, Louis Critchlow and Matthew Parrish. From a turnover ball, Trafford threw the ball wide and the winger evaded his opposite number before being tackled into touch by full-back Rick Sandbrook. However the Trafford MV touch judge did not see this from 20 metres away despite the large chunk missing from the ground and the score was given by the referee. Conversion missed and the score stood at 18-7. Feeling hard done by Bolton came steaming back once again through their forward pack but were unable to convert possession into points. Sticking to their strengths Bolton set up yet another maul some 30 metres out and began to march the home team backwards towards the whitewash. Cynical play from the Trafford forwards saw the maul illegally collapsed and despite Bolton’s obvious dominance in this area and the very high probability that it would have resulted in a score the match official failed to take the match under control and did not show a card. Frustration showed and the kick to touch was narrowly missed to give possession back to Trafford.

With the upper hand MV continued to pepper the Bolton defence and an infringement on the halfway line saw the homesides scrum half look to go quickly, however he was halted, rather more easily than he should have been, by the standing presence of number 8 Parrish. Despite the field position the official decided this was a cynical challenge and sent Parrish to the bin to cool off. A decision that severely annoyed the Bolton side following the referee’s inability to brandish a card just 5 minutes earlier. Trafford then played Bolton at their own game and from a line-out set up a rolling maul to score another 5 pointer. With the conversion Trafford now looked to be sitting pretty at 25-7.

Still stinging from the loss of one of their pack Bolton continued to dominate from the set piece and gave Trafford a scrumming masterclass when the drove the home side pack over their own line from 30 metres out with a 7 man pack, Ash Cooper claiming the score standing in at number 8 for the sidelined Parrish. Once again Trafford had attempted to bring the Bolton driving force down illegally but Bolton were too strong, and once again the referee made no attempt to discipline the home side for their cynical play. Pritchard stepped up to do the honours and brought the score line back to 25-14.

Despite constantly pressurising the Trafford defence Bolton were unable to find a further score even with the added bolster of Parrish returning to the field. A clearance kick from the home side wrong-footed Sandbrook and the Trafford winger won the foot race to touch down. Bolton did not give up and with the final play called Bolton had a scrum some 35 metres out. The plan was to recreate the previous scrum and it started well. Props Sam Hilton and Gareth Evans showing their opposite numbers that experience counted over age. Trafford attempted to defend the scrum by wheeling it around but Bolton held strong and kept the drive straight. The Trafford number 6 attempted to collapse the scrum by taking out Hilton but was met with a number of studs to the body for his efforts. The referee once again had Bolton in uproar by blowing his whistle and claiming that Bolton hadn’t used their possession. A particularly interesting call when Trafford where illegally turning the scrum and also attempting to collapse it.

With this horrendous call the match was brought to a close before tempers became too frayed and the final score stood at 32-14. Overall a well contested match marred by poor refereeing decisions.

Best of luck to Trafford MV as they have now secured a play-off place for promotion.