Vatican Turmoil

After an ‘interesting’ week the week before, Bolton excluded any thoughts of Eccles from their minds as they prepared to face Littleborough, a team who dominated them earlier in the season.

The pitch was the complete opposite of last week, grass could be seen and the pitch was ready for flowing rugby.

The pre-match warm up went well, though some of the under 8’s coaching drills witnessed by coach Marriott on TV were too complicated for most of the 2nd team contingent! Warm up completed and time for a team photo for the paper. What are the chances we will see that picture up in the clubhouse?!!

The first half was a very scrappy affair. Strong hard running was the order of the day and this was epitomised with storming runs all day from Brogan, McDermott and Tubbs. (Ben Tubbs- not JP Hardman) Break down after break down saw strong rucking from both sides and plenty of stolen ball- usually from Peter Brogan. Maybe one steal too many from Brogan saw the Irishman ‘patted’ on the head several times from the tiring Borough frontrow. As a consequence, my hero, John Stryker ‘sprung’ into action like Oscar Pistorious and sprinted his way over to join the fracas. The speed that boy generated, you would think he was late to send out his hourly tweet!!

Littleborough had come to Avenue Street with a game plan! The run, everything tactic they employed at the beginning of the season was changed to a kick, kick, kick everything tactic at Avenue Street. Obviously this more ‘realistic’ 2nd team were not runners! Fullback Murtagh never stopped running all half, putting in some huge defensive hits and chasing kicks like he thought it was last orders at Diamonds! That is about it for the first half- a penalty each was exchanged, leaving the score 3-3 at half time.

To earn his slice of orange at half time- coach Marriott came on with the team talk and the tactical substitutions. Relph (The one that counts- Oli- the one that can run, catch, pass, kick and tackle), Meir and Ryder switched to scumhalf. Words of wisdom were a plenty from coach and each player went back out with a vision of what was needed.
The second half kicked off, having taken on some ‘Ironman’ energy juice and putting the Vatican Turmoil to the back of his head, Fly half Singleton called a Rambo ball. The forthcoming dummy run from Keech was one that can only be described as ‘textbook’- one of the best ever witnessed from the Northern Dummy Running Champion 1989-94 at Avenue Street. This created a gap that was as big as the gap would be between Chris Turner and Mike Singleton sprinting for the last sausage roll! Relph, split the Borough defence and went on a winding run giving hand off after hand off before off loading to Lee Maccy D, who raced to the line to score.

This sparked Bolton into life and the following 20 minutes saw the kind of fast paced flowing rugby that Bolton are used to playing. Strong play at the break down from Tubbs, Cheetham, Earle and Wignall, saw Bolton retain good ball that was used wisely and varied by scrum half Ryder.
Singleton unleashed an accidental truffle shuffle and ‘gased’ the prop infront of him (just!) Unfortunately, the energy gel at half time was s low releasing gel and he couldn’t finish the move, so popped inside to Maccy D, who with a triple hand off like he was about to put somebody through Nitebar window, kept possession and scored again under the posts.

The final try came with a timely blitz press from the back line. A big hit on his opposite man from Keech, saw the ball fall into the hands of Waddicar on the halfway line. With his head tilted back and his chest puffed out, Waddicar sprinted in to score under the posts like he was being chased by Les with the debtors list.

Final Score- Bolton 24- 3 Littleborough.

Luckily for Bolton, the Vatican Turmoil that had flustered several Bolton players during the first half, didn’t make an impact on the final score as the Bolton team re-gained composure to play the rugby they are good at. Next week, this 20 minute spell must turn into an 80 minute spell as they entertain De La Salle at Avenue Street. The victors will go 2nd in Miller Homes League 2 North. Lets pray for some divine intervention!

Tries: McDermott 2, Waddicar
Cons: Terry 3
Penalty: Terry
Quote of the week: Pete Brogan- “No, I deserved it, I hit him first”. Nice one Pete. Look what happened to Jay Cheetham as a result of your tom foolery!
Man of the Match: Pete Brogan