After 10 minutes of to-ing and fro-ing in mid park, Bolton got their game going. As they pressed uphill into the Clitheroe 22, the home side cleared their lines to touch. From the lineout, the ball was moved out to the backs, where Ben Hill shimmied thru the centre of the defence to score under the posts. Captain Keith Howie added the conversion. Within minutes Bolton were pressing again. The upfield kick was retrieved by the full back and just managed to clear the ball to touch before the chasers arrived. A quick throw in caught Clitheroe sleeping and the ball was spun out across the pitch and Hill was on hand again to outpace the defence to score his second. Howie added the extras again. When a Bolton player was unceremoniously tipped upside down and dumped, Clitheroe were lucky only to concede a penalty. And when the penalty was missed, they must have thought maybe today was going to be their lucky day. Minutes later, the Bolton team had a tackling embargo and allowed Clitheroe to run an easy try in. The half closed Clitheroe 7 Bolton 14
Hard words at half time and Bolton knew they had a job to do. From a kick into the Bolton 22, Ben 'Ben' Harwood ran the ball out around the chasing Clitheroe backs and took it down the wing. As he got to the opposition 22 an the defence closed in, he popped it out to the supporting James Cairns who finished it off in the corner.
As Bolton pressed forward again to the Clitheroe line, Gaz 'selfish' Flounders took the ball on himself and crossed the line to score. The only saving grace was that he prevented Mark 'Doc' Robinson from scoring, thus saving Doc's poor children from having to listen to how he scored. Conversion added.
Anyway, enough of that, what about my try ! Bolton once again camped in the Clitheroe 22. The ball was carried forward and recycled. Once again the ball carriers moved it forward and recycled it. And then again, sucking in more defenders. Then it was moved wide, to the centre where, with a huge Towler 'dummy' the defending full back was sent on his way, leaving me with a 10m dash to cross the line and run under the sticks to make it easy for the kicker. Conversion added.
(Note: this is one of the perks of writing the match reports, you get to blow your own trumpet)
A further try was added, by Cairns I think. (Difficult to remember as I was packing my trumpet away).
Ben Harwood went over in the corner to cap his Man of the Match performance.
The final try came from Spencer 'Carlos' Spencer, who jinked thru the tiring Clitheroe defence, and scored under the posts. Conversion added.

Final score Clitheroe 2nds 7 Bolton 4ths 50

With 4 second rows unavailable this weekend, there were fears that our scrum could be compromised against the larger, heavier Clitheroe pack. However, step forward James Lock and Tom Byrne from the Senior Colts. Both had excellent games. Rory Biggins, making his second appearance, looked promising before his game was cut short when a large person fell on him twisting his ankle.

This weekend Bolton 4s travel to Birchfield 2s for the Quarter Final of the Raging Bull Plate. Birchfield sit at the top of their league so Bolton will need to be at the top of their game to progress further in the competition.