Bolton Bravehearts Sink Valiant Vale

Bolton picked up only their second win of the season in what turned out to be a very close run affair with an experienced Vale side running them to the wire.
Bolton had a slightly more experienced look to their pack with both Hardman and Keiron Hill starting the game in the front row and following a well organised warm up Bolton were looking to start the game on the front foot. Experience was also in evidence in the back line with both Andy Jolley and veteran Club Captain Les "The Tackling Terror" Towler starting the game. We'll come back to the tackler Towler at a later date in this report.
However Vale had brought their own experience players with them and it was Vale who put the Bolton defence on the back foot with a number of strong runs from their back line which were only stopped by some good work from both Liam Patient and Les Towler.
Bolton were struggling up front conceding the first scrum against the head and with a line out that was in a dire state they were struggling for any decent possession or momentum, however digging deep and with sound defence from Harrison Peak and Mitch Ashcroft they managed to keep Vale at arms length.
A number of Bolton students had swelled the Bolton ranks and to good effect they were making tackles around the park to hold back the Vale attacks but Bolton needed to try and get on the front foot. Whilst missing their inspirational captain Mark Higgins who had perhaps been visited by one too many "Halloween Spirits" the previous night Bolton started to use Hardman and Hill to pound the Vale defence with Andy Jolley hitting the gaps. From one of these attacks around the Vale fringe the referee judged Vale to have infringed and Jolley slotted a good penalty to open the scoring.
Bolton were now starting to fire and from the ensuing kick off they gathered the ball and set about taking the game to Vale. After a quick ruck the ball found its way to returning old boy Liam Patient and he evaded 2 tackles to accelerate away from the Vale defence to cross the line for his first try of the day, ably converted by the boot of Jolley.
Now starting to scent that they were onto a winning day in the sun Bolton pressed again from the kick off only to be turned over in midfield by the stronger Vale back line. Vale were halted by a great last ditch tackle on the week by the veteran Towler and Bolton turned over the ball to be cleared by a kick from scrum half Sam Student, gathered by the Vale full back who then opted to kick the ball back over the Bolton defence. The ball was then regathered on the charge from Liam Patient on the edge of his own half. Patient set off like a man who had a Sergeant Major behind him ready to shout at him to accelerate, he cut inside two men before setting off on a mazy run towards the Vale tryline, rounding the full back with ease to dot down for his second of the match for a great try. Again Jolley converted to add the two.
Bolton were in the ascendency but fell foul of their own undoing three minutes before half time when a succession of needless penalties were conceded and Vale crossed in the corner to drag themselves back into the match with an unconverted score on the whistle for half time.
Skipper Mark Higgins had appeared for half time and asked for discipline to be maintained through the second half to ensure that Bolton did not become their own worst enemies. Changes were made to the team to give fresh legs a chance and they appeared to have the desired effect when following a quick tap from a penalty in midfield Hardman ghosted through the Vale midfield to accelerate away from the cover. The Vale full back managed to contain him before Hardman offloaded onto his support and the following two drives were quickly executed in the Vale 22 to push close to the line. Scrum Half Sam Student reversed the ball to Hardman at fly half who fed Captain Higgins to amble over from short range to score, the conversion was narrowly missed by Jolley to leave Bolton 22 - 5 to the good and cruising.
That should have been it however two quick scores from Vale, both converted saw them back into the match. One score was allowed through by skipper Mark Higgins who seemed content to allow Vale access to the Bolton try line with consummate ease.......
From one Vale attack, Jolly cleared the ball with a high kick, under which the Vale winger patiently waited. As the ball arrived in the hands of the winger, so did Les “Big Tackle” Towler. The ball was left floating in the air, as the players watched, the winger wheezed and the crowd winced. Ouch !
Vale still scented a victory in the air, but despite another Vale attack being snuffed out by the long arms of skipper Higgins the game finished on a penalty to Bolton for a Vale player arguing with the ref. Jolley gratefully booted the ball into the shrubbery and Bolton saw themselves home for an important league win.