Prior to the game Bolton welcomed the visiting alickadoo with a traditional Burns Celebration Lunch of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Chef Tom Macdonald, dressed in his family tartan, regaled the audience with The Selkirk Grace followed by the Address to The Haggis.

Having lost their last game against table topping Didsbury by just 5 points, a young Bolton team took on second in the league Liverpool St. Helens and were narrowly beaten by the same margin.

Coach Richard Rawlinson was left to rue the opening five minutes. Bolton conceded two tries and were faced with a fourteen-point deficit and a game plan seemingly in tatters.
Thankfully the ever-reliable boot of Bolton’s Ross Hayden gave them a foothold with his penalty conversion after twelve minutes.

The game settled into a rhythm of strong LSH handling and even stronger Bolton defence. The Bolton front row of Tailor, Biggins and Ashdown were unyielding against their significantly heavier opponents.

Bolton’s overall performance is getting better and better each week as the hard work on the training ground on Tuesday and Thursday evenings transfers to game time. The line out is beginning to display the hallmarks of assistant coach and Sale Shark Matt Postlethwaite.

Despite the recent results it feels like the young team are drawing close to a very big performance.

Unfortunately the second half started much like the first for Bolton. A pressure relieving kick into the LSH 22 meter area resulted in a length of the field run from the visitors left winger and a try in the corner. Trailing by 3-22 and with 35 minutes remaining the game looked up for Bolton’s young guns.

Connor Steel scored a fine opportunist try after 54 minutes to make the score 10-22. LSH could sense the home team growing in confidence and their own indiscipline only served to add fuel to the Bolton fire.

After 65 minutes Bolton scored a classic catch and drive try. A euphoric Rory Biggins was last man up from the bottom of the rolling maul as it crashed over the try line. Ross Hayden’s conversion from the touchline left the scores at 17-22.

Momentum was now with Bolton. Trailing by a single score but playing by far the better rugby they poured pressure onto their fractious and rapidly tiring opponents.

The final 10 minutes were played almost entirely in the visitors 22. Bolton pressed and pressed but could not unlock the last gasp defence. Referee Sam Reid brought proceedings to a close and Bolton returned to the warmth of the clubhouse disappointed but unbowed.

Bolton team: Tailor, Biggins, Ashdown, Chappelhow, Critchlow, Robinson (M), Evans, Leigh, Steel C, Bate, Steel S, Robinson(J), Holmes (J), Clarke, Hayden. Subs: Keogh, Evans.