Hard earned Victory in the face of adversity.

The polished version for the paper

Birchfield 22 – Bolton 4th XV 28
This week also saw Bolton’s 4th team in cup action against Birchfield in the quarter finals of the Raging Bull Plate.
In a bad tempered affair, Bolton played rugby to overcome a spirited Birchfield side, to run out deserved winners. A hat trick of tries from Wilde highlighted Bolton’s qualities in a game that tested Bolton’s nerve in the face of a brutish performance by Birchfield that resulted in 3 yellow cards for the home team and a penalty count that would require a NASA scientist to calculate accurately. Spencer also added 2 penalties and scored a try.
Bolton play Didsbury Toc H in the Semi final of the plate at Avenue St on March 16th.

The original notes

Birchfield 2nd 22 Bolton 4th 28
Not rolling away, penalty 0 – 3
Succession of High and late tackles from the off.
Dive over and backchat, moves pen to kicking range spencer 3
From k/off, pressure on bolton 0 – 5
Repeated infringements, pen 3
Finally no 10 sent to sinbin
More high tackles
Good backs movement, finished off by wilde 5
2nd player to sinbin
16 penalties conceded by birchfield in first half !
h/t losing 10 – 11

Quick pen by wilde 5
From k/o pressure from bolton, attempted kick charged down by spencer, pick up and run, 5 + flounders 2
Lack of concentration allowed birchfield back in 0 - 5
Big swinging arm, 3rd player to sinbin
Bolton drive to birchfield line, and wilde peels off for his 3rd 5
New players introduced by birchfield, end to end stuff
Thuggery, bolton player blindsided, even the birchfield crowd say that their club needs to do something about the player !
Birchfield score a late consolation 0 – 5/2 but it’s too late, bolton have deservedly won the quarter final, by playing team rugby in the face of adversity.

Birchfield 2nd 22 Bolton 4th 28