Hat-Trick Hero Critchlow Helps Secure 2nd Place

There were a number of positional changes to the side taking the field with Bolton reverting to their more time honoured formation in the back line and a couple of personnel changes in the pack. The influential Nick Sandbrook returned to the starting line up at open side flanker accompanied by the young Gaz Pritchard who is currently setting the league alight.

Veteran prop Jon-Paul Hardman had been stolen away from 3rd XV pie eating duty and Gareth Evans returned to tight head prop which made way for returning skipper Chris Cockton to captain the side from hooker.

A well organised and well drilled warm up precluded the game and Bolton were ready to start. As the two teams stood eye ball to eye ball awaiting the kick off it was apparent that the North Manchester pack had not been picked for their athletic ability and mobility. Each forward appeared to be hewn from a chunk of granite and cast into a shape resembling a cross between a bowling ball and Dan Cole. So alike were many of their players they could have been cast from the same mould!

And so the game was to prove. North Manchester's pitch is slightly smaller than what the Avenue men are used to and North Manchester set out to use this to their advantage with a physical game leaving Bolton under no illusions as to their task ahead. From the kick off Bolton tried to move the ball wide despite a number of brutal hits around the fringes of the rucks and mauls, from which North Manchester looked to exploit the Bolton mistakes created by some fearsome tackling. However Bolton were not to be denied a victory in this match an infringement by North Manchester helped secure the first points of the day from Mark Doherty's boot and after good yardage from Tony McLaughlin and Gareth Evans had carried them up field, the cherry and whites laid a platform from the driving maul for Louis Critchlow to crash over the line to open his try scoring account for the day .

North Manchester again came back strongly against the Bolton pack although they never looked to worry the much faster Bolton back line where Bates, Bruen and Pritchard proved imperious in defence throughout the afternoon. There were good spells of play from both teams at times although these were marred by periods of loose concentration which led to an afternoon of scrums after numerous knock ons. Bolton finally managed to get some quality possession and it was to be two on the bounce for the Bolton 2nd row Louis Critchlow who again crashed over from short range to augment the good work of Dave Ormes and Evans in the moments preceding the try.

Bolton gathered themselves at half time and with a few replacements managed to pick up the pace of the game in the second half in which their class began to tell. A typical scurrying break from Rhys Pritchard down the left wing which was halted by the North Manchester players on the cover created an overlap on the right for Will Bate to break clean through two attempted tackles before crossing under the posts for Doherty to convert.

With daylight now evident between the two teams Bolton were convinced it was their turn to shine - North Manchester showed they were not there to make up the numbers and once again Bolton found themselves being tested in the tight yet again with the home team battering away at the scrum to try and turn territorial advantage into points. The Bolton defence proved as resolute as ever and with Matthew Parrish restored to the fray at Number 8 he used his size to carry the cherry and whites over the gain line to slowly grind Bolton into better field position.

However as the ball broke out of the back of the ruck and squirted away from Nick Lever the Bolton scrum half and by passing Mark Doherty at fly half there appeared a man, one man, shining bright like a beacon through the dimming gloom of the North Manchester skyline. With a beaming smile Dave Bruen, the Bolton Vice Captain and resident sun tan expert, commanded the ball to rise to his hands in a shimmering light to be held by his amazing hands closer to his beautiful face. With a glint in his eye that makes the ladies swoon he set off on a perfect cut back angle, dazzling defenders with his clean cut image, shiny boots and 1000 watt smile.

As each defender sank to their knees in a display of homage that would have been wasted on lesser men such as Ghandi, Jesus and Mohammed Bruen sailed serenely around them from wing to wing across the pitch. His feet seemed not to move but they were carried by a fluffy patch of white cloud, only one shade less white than his perfect smile, until he slowed to rest and delivered an inch perfect pass into the waiting hands of his acolyte Waddicar who crashed over the line to save the mighty Bruen getting his shirt dirty. Bolton scored, Doherty converted whilst Bruen led a sermon of suntans and teeth whitening tips to the massed faithful of the North Manchester crowd.

With time running out Bolton had secured an invaluable bonus point in their chase for second position but the crowning glory of the game was yet to come. Bolton were still on the hunt for further points and some great carries and quick rucking moved them back up the pitch. With the clock running down and after Evans had been held up on the line Bolton thought they may have missed their opportunity however a good carry back upfield from the Bolton back line led to Super Captain Cockton appearing at the side of a ruck. The offload of the season saw Man of the Match Louis Critchlow gather the ball and cross for his third of the day. A great performance by the youngster scoring a hat trick to show his return to the sort of form he has shown in previous seasons at Bolton.

With that the game drew to a close and Bolton took the spoils in this bruising encounter. Although at the wrong end of the table North Manchester showed a great spirit throughout the game and gave the resurgent men from Avenue Street a tough afternoon. With St Edwards losing to Hutton Bolton finished the week in second place in the league, a position that is well deserved although their promotion rivals have a game in hand.