Thanks David Brent

Name: Mark Higgins. Occupation: Inspirer. Status: None of your business. Young, free, and single, though. Thanks for asking. Hear you're looking for a new boss, yeah? Someone to tell a bunch of discontented, under-encouraged drones what to do every day. Is that it? Want me to fire them? They don't see things your way? Then I ain't that dude. Bye-bye, baby, bye-bye. Get some other corporate suit to lay down the law. What? You've changed your mind? You're now looking for a leader of men? Ipso facto. Women, too. When do I start? (thanks David Brent)

Friday evening, and there are 30 confirmed for the game ! Is it because it’s captain Mark Higgins last game and everybody wants to be part of it ? Or, more likely, is it because the weather forecast is quite decent ? Whichever, 30 players was going to be a problem to administer. However 1 last minute transfer up to the 3s, 2 no-shows on the day and 1 pre-match warm up injury, reduced the head count to a mere 26. Fortunately Preston were happy to allow Bolton to use all of their squad.
Bolton started the stronger against a big Preston team, but seemed unable to penetrate the defence. Then, at 15 minutes, a simple ball along the line allowed winger James Kelly to beat his man on the outside and evade the covering defence to open the scoring out wide. Andy Jolly added the conversion. 7 – 0. Bolton were dominant for long spells but failed to add to their tally, save for a 3 point penalty, 10 – 0. However, the constant substitutions meant that Bolton’s form thru the game fluctuated as partnerships were made, broke and then re-formed. Preston took advantage of a lull in the Bolton game to score a try of their own, 10 – 7.

Bolton finally re=exerted their dominance in the second half and saw 2 tries added by the returning Ken Sackfield. Jolly adding the extras. 24 – 7.

The match was played in good spirit throughout and Bolton played some of their best rugby of the season. They will need to reproduce that form next weekend as they host Rochdale in the 2nd round of the LBS Plate.

After the game, the team bade farewell to captain Mark Higgins, who is off the sunnier climes, well, Reading, actually to set up a new Office.