Bolton 4th Team Beat Garstang At Home

... Until Garstang turned up with only 10 men! 4 transfers were quickly negotiated and the game kicked off with Bolton having a 1 man advantage.

From the off it was Bolton pressure, pressure, pressure but maybe the loaned players were playing too well as they were unable to cross the line.

From a speculative clearance by the Garstang 10, the ball ran along the ground near Stuart “shall I, shan’t I” Macdonald who prevaricated until the Garstang winger arrived, who then kicked the ball on and the chase for the line was on. A chase that Macdonald wasn’t going to win. 0 – 5.

Bolton restarted with even more determination, but their failure to keep their own ball at breakdown situations wasn’t making things easy. But still they had the desire to score and finally it came as James “wrecking ball” Gisborn barged over the line to score under the posts. Tom Comery, taking over kicking duties from injured captain Howie, missed the kick.

Bolton now had the bit between their teeth, as again they attacked the Garstang line. Strong runs from colts Liam “Patty” Patient and James “terminator” Foey split the defence and surely that second try would only be a matter of time. Sure enough, Foey did the necessary, running in for 25 m to score. Relief kicker Dan “count ‘em” Thomas added the extras.

Relief scrum-half Mike “ginger nuts” Singleton, having a week off from papal duties, then joined the fray and showed his class. To anyone who wanted to see it. A Bolton’s backs ran the ball wide he appeared at the end of the line to touch down. Half time 17 – 5.

As Garstang lost a player thru injury, Bolton also took a man off and made their other substitutions. The fresh blood was to prove too much for Garstang as the tries came thick and fast. First Jack “I’d rather not” Dickinson was released in space on the wing and sprinted off for half of the pitch to . . . oh no, he hasn’t dropped it, he’s scored.

The backs were having a bit of a field day at this point, introducing moves at will. Jack “they told me to do it” Cormican was already practicing some of his dance floor moves for later. Then Singleton added his second which looked remarkably like his first. Then Dickinson was released in space on the wing, déjà vu, and ran half the pitch to score. He than had to be substituted off as he wasn’t feeling well. The referee blew up 10 minutes early with the score at 36 – 5.

Two more debuts this week, one for current colt Brad Crowder who looked strong in the lineout, and the other for former colt Lee Crook who played his first game for 13 years.

A strong 4th team contingent went to the End of Season and Awards Dinner later that evening. Player of the Year was Mark “I’ve broken my trophy already, how strong am I” Higgins and Players Player was Keith “happy 40th” Howie.