Under 18s LSH 13 v 53 Bolton

After weeks without a game due to the wonderful British climate Bolton arrived at St. Helens on a beautiful February afternoon, a day just made for Rugby Union and both sides didn’t disappoint providing a good crowd with 70 minutes of entertainment and a game played in excellent spirits and well refereed.
The home side was at a disadvantage as they had 3 players missing on Lancashire Trials, we hope they played in the trial with the same spirit both sides exhibited this afternoon; as if they did they will take some beating. Bolton wish them well and hope they all got selected.
LSH had setup to play a forwards based game and from the off showed great technique and coordination to roll and drive their way up the field. However, Bolton’s defence had definitely been helped by a 4 week lay off and the team stood firm, tackled anything in red, white and blue and forced the odd mistake or two. From a knock on Bolton seized on the loose ball and Joe Speakman’s clean break sent right wing Charlie Hardern racing to the line. A great last ditch tackle just dislodged the ball and kept the scoreboard blank. Chris Brownlow was next to be denied as he picked up a long kick out of defence just inside the LSH half and after a run past most of the home cover that deserved a try was knocked into touch just short of the line.
Mason Lockley decided it was time to take the attack to LSH and from a breakdown well in the Bolton half he broke the line and then lit the afterburners to put the lads in red on the front foot. Quick minds and quick hands put Joe Partington into space and he outpaced the cover to score under the posts. Chris Brownlow converted, 0-7.
LSH infringed on the next Bolton attack and Chris added a penalty to make it 0-10 after 16 minutes; showing the respect both sides had for each other.
Almost immediately Joe Partington crashed over to add his second try and the at the 20 minute mark it was 0-17 with Chris again on target with the kick.
The home side persisted with their forwards based approach and great credit goes to the Bolton pack of Connor Orrell, Jordan Ashton, Jacob Walker, George Weston, Mason Lockley, Chris Brownlow, Ryan McClusky and Charlie Aylett who were ably assisted by Harry Stocks at Scrum Half to keep the attacks in check and counter with pace and determination when each time they forced a turnover.

A series of back to back breaks by Jordan Ashton (playing in the unaccustomed hooking role), Jacob Walker, Adam Kazmi and Charlie Aylett led to George Weston taking the Bolton side fully 50m and had left wing Joey Gore been able to hold George’s 20m bullet pass it would have been a further score.
However, the spirit of the team didn’t diminish and tries from Ryan McClusky and Mason Lockley underlined the affect the Bolton forwards were having on the game and at the break Bolton were up 3-27 with LSH scoring a penalty with the final kick of the half.
In the second half LSH had the advantage of the slope and a slight breeze and again put the visitors under the cosh up front. Both sides had been infringing on the ground and unfortunately the home side lost a player to a yellow card 10 minutes into the second period. Almost immediately Charlie Aylett capitalised by breaking the LSH line and racing 50m to score. Christ Brownlow added the extras to make it 3-34. After being on the front foot for the first 10 minutes of the second half this score was against the run of play and the home sides’ heads could’ve gone down but they roared back and scored a well-deserved try out wide after another lung bursting series of play from their pack.
8-34 and LSH’s spirits were raised further with Bolton Captain Josh Holmes receiving a yellow and almost immediately they scored again from a driving maul. 13-34 and game on!
However, Bolton stepped up, rearranged their backline and with Joe Partington’s tackling pulled up their metaphorical socks. Harry Kay and George Carbery had entered the fray at the half and Harry spoiled the LSH Scrum Half’s day as he drove him backwards with an all-encompassing tackle. George was immense in the second period and Connor Orrell put his hand up to lead his team back into the game. A couple of Mason specials added to the ground made by Connor and the ball was whipped out to the left wing where Joey Gore outpaced the cover before stepping the full back to score under the post and confirm the Bolton ship was again on course. Chris Brownlow again converted 13-41.

Josh Holmes emerged from the sin bin and joined the line from his new position of full back to take Bolton’s next attack to the home 22m line. He looked to have run out of space but a hand off put the LSH cover on his back and gave Josh the chance to score in the corner. A superb individual try and one which finally killed off the home team’s fight back. Chris Brownlow audaciously added the extra’s with a kick from wide out, 13-48.
Bolton had the chance to pin LSH back in their own half for the remainder of the match and Charlie Hardern finished the game as he almost started it scoring in the corner after appropriately a team move. The final score was 13-53 and a deserved win from Bolton which just about secures the Senior D league Title.

All 17 players in Bolton red played their hearts out today and from Adam Kazmi at Full back to Connor Orrell at Prop each one made telling contributions to the performance and made the result even more pleasing. Half backs harry Stocks and Joe Speakman ran the show, the Bolton pack ran strongly and with pace and power (as emphasised by Mason, Connor, Charlie et al) and in the centres Joe Partington was superb from the first to final minute. One of the home parents summed up the performance of the Bolton backs when he said “you had strike runners in every position; we didn’t know who to tackle” but this was a 17 man game and the pack laid the foundation and then ran their opponents into the ground.
The final word needs to go the Liverpool St. Helens players and coaches who gave their all, played some great rugby and never took a backwards step. A great game played in great spirits by 30+ young men who gave their all and shook hands afterwards. It’s what sport is all about and long may it continue. Thanks also to our referee for controlling the game and allowing the rugby to flow.