Bolton U16s 12 Eccles 5

Boltons U16s played their first home game of the season with a much changed team from the previous week.
With injuries and players unavailable for selection it was a team that stepped out onto the pitch that had 3 forwards playing in the backs, including a prop on the wing a flanker and number 8 in the centres.
The key message was positivity and teamwork and the players took to this from the kick off.
The opening exchanges were tense as Eccles had a decent amount of possession, but the Bolton forwards started to exert their physical dominance
and win turn over ball. Moving through the phases the cherry and whites crossed the line courtesy of the unstoppable Joe Mackey, handing off the Eccles 14, and taking the Eccles number 10 over the line with him.
This score settled the Bolton team and they started to play with some flair, with big runs from Ben Gidman-knowles, Darren Robinson. The support from the pack was always vigorous with Brandon Booth, Harry Round and Joe McHugh instrumental in the rucks, securing ball allowing the backs to run at Eccles.
With the changed Bolton back line, only scrum Half Jack Philips and winger Alex Toft were playing in their natural positions, stand in number 10 Dom Hardy was instrumental in setting up the next Bolton try, feeding the ball to the stand-in 12 Jack Byrne he crashed back in towards the forwards and recycled the ball, this time sending the ball left and picking out the Cherry and Whites other prop and Captain Alex Tonge who brushed past the Eccles defense and scored under the posts. Full back Issac Woods added the conversion.
Eccles redoubled their efforts and started to really test the Bolton defense, scoring in the corner from a kick and chase but Bolton held on for a deserved win.
Final score - Bolton 12 Eccles 5