Mystery virus wipes out players aged under 22

Thursday evening and there are 21 players confirmed – great. Friday lunchtime and there are 26 confirmed. Time for a text to Preston’s captain to check if he’ll allow us to bring all of our subs. Finally his reply comes back, he’d like us to go with league rules, 21 players max. Next comes the unenviable task of asking players to stand down. 4 players are ‘selected’ and advised. 1 more player confirms, doh !
Saturday morning, final choices needs to be made. And then without warning it strikes, the mystery virus. 3 players cry off before I’ve even left the house. Ah well, that still leaves us with 20. 1 cries off on the way to the club and when I arrive, I’m told that 2 more have been struck down. So we’re down to 17. Apparently the mystery virus can be seen in various picture on Facebook, from the previous evenings activities. The mystery virus seems to come in a glass bottle and is an amber colour !!!

Onwards to the game. After a sluggish start, the Bolton defence is breached within minutes of the start, 0 – 5. The first couple of scrums get pushed about a bit. The signs over the next few minutes are ominous. But then Bolton work their way up field and from a lineout in the Preston 22, a tap down by Matt Robinson is fielded by scrum half Sam Kelly who flings it out to Andy Jolly at 10, who takes the direct route straight thru his opposite number to score Bolton’s opening try, and then converts it, 7 – 5. Minutes later, another good line out and Perm Doherty, collects the ball, passes to Kelly who flings it to Jolly. Preston had seen this one before so knew where they were going. Jolly releases Eldin Topalovic who bursts thru the Preston line to add another score, 14 – 5. This is looking much better !
Then a break by Preston and their very lively flanker runs in to score, 14 – 10. Straight from the restart, Preston are penaluised and Jolly adds the 3 points, 17 -10. A positive end to the first half.
The second half opens as the first one did, with poor Bolton defence followed by a penalty allowing the Preston flanker to go over for his second, 17 – 15. The middle 20 minutes of the second half saw the best rugby of the afternoon, as the game moved between the 2 halves with neither team prepared to concede. A good break by Liam Patient saw him run half of the field, excellent supporting forward play carried the momentum and Patient was on had to finish, 22 – 15. Preston responded with another good try, again their flanker heavily involved, 22 – 22. In the dying minutes of the game, as Bolton tired, Preston charged down a Bolton clearance kick and it bobbled nicely for the home side to add the final try, 22 – 29.
If only those with the mystery virus had been more careful with their medicine, then perhaps it wouldn’t have been such a bitter pill for the rest of the team to swallow.