Another Derby Boxed Off

Solid performance earns Bolton victory

By Mark Down.

Bolton welcomed long time rivals and friends Eccles to Avenue Street on Saturday. Previous games between the two teams have been close encounters and this match was to prove the same.
The game kicked off in perfect conditions with both teams looking to stamp their authority early on.Bolton were first on the score board with a Lewis Lockett penalty after 4 minuets, Eccles then had a period of dominance culminating with a penalty of their own on 8 minuets. An Eccles try and conversion on 22 minuets saw the visitors take the lead, but this was to be for the first and last time in the match! Bolton sprang back into life in the 30th minuet and how! With a backs move straight off the training ground Will Bate went over under the posts for what could well be a contender for try of the season, Lewis Lockett added the conversion to bring the scores level at 10-10.Bolton started to dominate plat with set pieces working well and enjoying the majority of possession in the loose, the final score of the first half went to Bolton, from a defensive line out on the Eccles 5 meter line Ben Cottam disrupted the Eccles throw, from the resulting maul the Eccles player was driven back across the try line where Ryan Mclusky stripped the the ball and dotted down, conversion missed.

Half Time....Bolton 15 Eccles 10

The second half started much as the first half ended with Bolton on top, strong ball carrying from Simon Frost and Louis Critchlow saw the home side work their way into the red zone where Eccles concede a penalty which Lewis Lockett slotted over to increase the lead. Bolton went further ahead when Alex Waddicar went over following some excellent work from an attacking line out by Ryan Mclusky, Mcluskey peeled from the back of the line out and took the ball into midfield and set up a ruck, quick recycling saw Niall Murphy gain a few extra meters and suck in more Eccles defenders, a superb long pass from scrum half James Singleton found Waddy at full tilt leaving the Eccles defence no chance of stopping him crashing over, Lockett added the extras to take the score to 25-10. Bolton's final score of the day was another Lewis Lockett penalty. Eccles managed to grab two late tries whilst Bolton were down to 13 men due to both Rhys Pritchard and Simon Frost receiving yellow cards for separate indiscretions.

Full Time.....Bolton 28 Eccles 20

Man of the match......Louis Critchlow, Big n Daft getting back to his best with strong ball carrying and some bone crunching tackles