New Brighton 23 - Bolton 7

having broken their away day duck with success at Wigton the previous week. However it was not to be as the home side took advantage in the second half of a string of injuries to the visitors and some lack lustre passing to post 16 unanswered points.

Bolton travelled to New Brighton confident of posting a double over their hosts having already defeated them in a close run game at Avenue Street at the start of the season. Bolton began the first half brightly with some good strong running from Brodie, Nick Smith and Rhys Pritchard. Although it may have been a chill some day the temperature was hotting up on the pitch with a set of fearsome hits from both packs stopping runners in their tracks, Vice Captain Ash Cooper produced a series of stunning hits to blunt the New Brighton attacks.

New Brighton fielded a strong pack which gave no quarter throughout the game but Bolton felt they had the edge in the mobility stakes and the line out where Alex Youngman enjoyed an imperious day at the office supported by his lifting couplet of Cockton and Critchlow.

It was to be New Brighton who opened the scoring after a set of missed tackles allowed the New Brighton full back to charge for the line before being hauled down short by a great tackle from full back Robinson, the New Brighton player popped off to his onrushing support who crossed the line to open the days scoring out wide - the conversion was missed.

This seemed to spark Bolton into life and from a ball carry from Louis Critchlow the ball was gathered by the elusive Pritchard who side stepped three onrushing defenders to start the break from his own 22 - the pitch seemed to open up for him as he bore down on the New Brighton full back whom he drew and passed to release James Brodie who scampered in like a child seeing Santa for the first time towards the New Brighton line. Mark Doherty converted and Bolton were in the ascendency 5-7.

The rest of the half wore on with dogged determination, some good play from Critchlow and Nick Smith produced some real go forward moments for Bolton but the margins between success and failure in both attack and defence were very slim for both teams.

Bolton however were struck with three body blows in immediate succession with three rapid fire injuries to three of their brighter stars of the day. Firstly Nick Smith departed with what at first looked like a broken collar bone, then inspirational Vice Captain Ash Cooper with an ankle problem followed by rising starlet Jack Robinson with a dead leg, all three injuries occurring prior to the half ending.

Cockton and Coach Holmes rallied the troops at half time but Lady Luck turned against Bolton immediately after half time when an interception from a close off load saw the New Brighton centre only just make the line to score despite the best efforts of Jonny Stanfield who tackled the player on the try line.

New Brighton could sense Bolton's resolve weakening and the home crowd vociferously supported their lads in blue and white urging them onto greater things. Bolton stood strong against the turning tide but two more penalties pushed New Brighton out of reach before a tiring Bolton defence conceded a soft try from the base of the scrum to the New Brighton No 8 which was converted to leave Bolton in the doldrums this week.

There were some bright sparks to the second half, James Franks who came on for Cooper made some heavy weight carries whilst veteran Danny Joseph carried ball from full back with aplomb. But shorn of too many of their regular players Bolton just did not have enough in the tank to tackle this task. The 1st XV will now take a back seat into Christmas and hopefully with a well rested squad they will be at full strength in the New Year. A separate mention goes New Brighton crowd who gave their all in support of the home team and very graciously gave Bolton a standing ovation as they retired from the pitch.