Bolton Move Back Into Promotion Spot

... after leading a couple of Bolton players astray the night before the game for a heavy nights drinking at the sportsman's dinner. He had to be physically dragged out of bed to take part being an integral part of the front row.

Eccles's prop limped off during the warm up and forcing the game to start with uncontested scrums. Eccles lost the toss and Bolton decided to attack towards the Clubhouse. Eccles kicked off and Bolton failed to claim the ball following a good chase from the Eccles pack who caught the ball. Eccles enjoyed a couple minutes of possession before Bolton began to take control. Eccles could not live with the running of Louis Critchlow and Matthew Parrish. Good offloading out of the tackle gave Bolton good field position as Eccles conceded a penalty under their own sticks. Barlow kicked an easy 3 points.

Eccles restarted, Bolton dealt with the kick off better and continued punching holes with strong running from the Bolton pack. A couple of phases gave the Bolton backs plenty of room for them to work an overlap with simple hands for Stu Evans to score in the corner. The extras missed by Barlow.

Shortly after the restart the referee twisted his knee and was unable to continue. JP moved faster than he has all season to put himself forward to referee the remainder of the fixture. Both Captains agreed to the change and the game continued.

Quick ball from the Bolton pack gave the backs a good platform to attack giving the home side great field position. Andy Leigh dummied and darted into a gap at the back of a ruck and dived over to score his first try of the season. The conversion was missed leaving the game 13-0.

Bolton then took their foot of the gas and allowed Eccles back into the game. Their backs worked the ball well through the hands and found a gap out wide which they capitalised on and scored under the posts. The try converted bring the score to 13-7 at half time. Highlight of the half was a covering tackle made by Mark Townsend described by his lad as a flying pig impression.

The second half started with an Eccles players eye coming into contact with Mark Townsend's shoulder. There was only one winner and the Eccles player had to leave the pitch with his eye swelling up. Eccles down to 14 men made the game difficult for them and Bolton took a while to capitalise on the extra man. Danny Barlow tried to capitalise with a shocking drop goal attempt which was charged down. However Louis Critchlow was rewarded for his strong running with a try giving Bolton an 11 point lead.

Bolton's strong running kept Eccles pinned into their own half and with the forwards linking well with numerous offloads in the Eccles 22 allowed Ian Morton to crash over for his first for the 2nd XV. The extras once again missed by Barlow.

Bolton again took their foot off the gas and allowed Eccles into their 22. A lapse of concentration and a dummy saw Peter Brogan embarrassed and Eccles scored the last try of the game which was converted.

Final Score 23-14.

Fraser Hart MOTM: Louis Critchlow
Tries: Stu Evans, Andy Leigh, Louis Critchlow, Ian Morton
Penalties: Danny Barlow

ECCLES MATCH REPORT BELOW:

Yet again following a large number of players becoming unavailable and a significant number of call ups to the first team, including el capitan, the seconds took on Bolton with a side showing a mixture of youth, experience, enthusiasm, and endeavour. The experienced back row was matched by a second row of not quite pine trees, more like patio conifers and the backs were re-arranged to cater for the lack of a recognised half back partnership. The first calamity of the day started during the warm up with Chris Hills going lame resulting in more shifts of personnel and the need for un-contested scrums throughout the game.

For most of the first half Eccles were on the back foot with strong running from the home side and poor tackling from the visitors allowing Bolton to build up a 13 point lead. At this point the second calamity took place, with the appointed referee feeling a little poorly in the leg region and so the position was offered to one of the geriatric members of the Eccles party, no not me you fool, however this offer was declined as he had just had his hair done that day, and so a member of the Bolton team took over the whistle. And so it was that for the 10 minute period before the break Eccles decided they could defend with purpose and numbers, Fat Neck tells me he was eminent in all this, but my view must have been obscured for some reason. Anyway all the hard work resulted in the home side’s ¾ line being put under pressure and causing a turnover which saw Danny Hollowood running through with support all around to score under the posts, which Simon Hindle converted. Half time Bolton 13 – Eccles 7.

Early on it the second half the third calamity took place when Jimmy Lucas decided to use his eye socket as a battering ram. This caused said eye and socket to swell up just a bit. So poor little Jimmy then had to leave to field to set some ice, but could only find a packet of frozen peas, mushy peas at that. Despite all this adversity the lads struggled on as best they could and it was only during a short spell halfway through the second period that Bolton were able to take advantage of the extra man and extend their lead with 10 more points.

Then with the score sitting at 23 – 7 to Bolton’s favour the Eccles lads realised that enough was quite enough and started to play with the commitment, effort and application required. For the last 15 minutes Eccles pressurised the Bolton line with some good running by the two wingers, if only they had been given more ball early on. All the good work by Eccles was rewarded with Chris Wilson making a nice break on the Bolton 22 and scoring under the post, which Simon duly converted. With the score at 23 – 14 the referee soon called a halt to proceedings.

I’ve only one more thing to say, on behalf of the lads, come back Tommo, we miss you.