Three Tries From The Front Row Trio

Bolton 31 Tarleton 10
Tarleton came to the Avenue on Saturday after two excellent wins over Fleetwood and the league leaders Altrincham-Kersal. The Cherry and Whites had started 2019 with three straight wins – game on for both sides. The weather was windy during the first half and then it rained for the rest of the match.
From the start, both sides wanted to dominate and there were some tough yards gained. Bolton gave away a penalty in the eighth minute for off-side. The Tarleton kicker converted the penalty. Bolton had some very good passages of play and retained the ball and for their efforts were awarded a penalty in the fourteenth minute which Lewis Lockett duly converted. There was no quarter given in this part of the match and slowly, but surely, Bolton’s attack and defence were beginning to come together. A mistake by Tarleton led to a penalty in the twenty-second minute. Again, Lewis Lockett kicked the penalty. After some good pressure in the Tarleton half, Bolton won a ruck in the twenty-seventh minute. Harry Stocks and Niall Murphy combined for a lovely inside ball. Niall ran twenty metres to score. Lewis Lockett added the conversion. Tarleton came back strongly and started to dominate possession. They were awarded a penalty in the thirty-second minute but missed the penalty. Tarleton were then encamped within ten metres from Bolton ‘s line. Despite countless attempts to drive over to score, Bolton’s defence stood strong until the half-time whistle.
Half-time score: Bolton 13 Tarleton 3
The second half continued in the same vein with both sides trying to get the upper hand. Bolton missed a penalty from about thirty-five metres, that said two minutes later Chris Cockton scored. It was a very well organised driving maul from a line-out about ten metres from the Tarleton line. Lewis Lockett added the conversion. Tarleton had a good spell of possession at this stage, but Bolton’s defence stayed together, and often negated the attack from Tarleton. In the sixty-fifth minute Lewis Lockett added another penalty for Bolton. Tarleton finally scored their only try of the match in the seventy-seventh minute and added the conversion. After the re-start Bolton put Tarleton under pressure and Mark Chappelhow made an interception and ran twenty metres to score in the eightieth minute.
Final score: Bolton 31 Tarleton 10
Both Bolton and Tarleton played well in a very fast moving and entertaining game. It must be a first when all your starting front row score, so congratulations to Niall, Chris and Mark. This means that Bolton are unbeaten in 2019 with four straight wins.
Man of Match: Niall Murphy