On a day buffeted by Storm Malik, Bolton RUFC visited their near neighbours De La Salle and caused a storm of their own by winning 14-20.

The game was dominated by 40mph gales blowing across the pitch and Bolton’s second row partnership of Louis Critchlow and Paul Leigh who led the pack and took the game to the Della forward line.

The home team started much the brighter in the difficult conditions. They used the gale to their advantage and some intelligent positional kicking saw them take a deserved lead of 14-0. Converted tries in the 5th and 8th minutes by McCormick and a wonder try by the speedy Della winger Cameron Baker suggested storm clouds were gathering on and off the pitch for Bolton.

The large contingent of Bolton alikadoo on the touchline were hoping for the best but fearing the worst at this point.

The Bolton response began in the 17th minute with a try by Johnny Wallis stooping to collect a ground headed pass following a flowing cross field move across the back line. Rhys Pritchard the Bolton kicker made no mistake with the conversion and they were back in the game at 14-7.

Della roared back down field but the Bolton defence held firm under a relentless onslaught. A yellow card for Bolton’s Rory Biggins meant even more pressure playing with just 14 men for the next ten minutes. The game was now being played almost entirely in the Away teams back yard and more home team points seemed assured.

In the 35th minute indiscipline from the Della forwards resulted in a yellow card and provided Bolton with the platform to begin their dominance of the game. The half ended with Wallis driving single-handedly into the Della forwards and the away fans rubbing their frozen hands in anticipation of the second 40 minutes.

Bolton dominated both possession and territory in the second half. Intelligent kicking from Will Bate saw Della heads beginning to drop. A second converted try after 48 minutes from young Kieran Shacklock put Bolton level at 14-14. By this point the pack were dominating the home team and the momentum was solely with Bolton. The older Della team had no answer to the energy of the Bolton youngsters with Rory Biggins, Jake Rimmer and the effervescent Shacklock were now taring into the them at every opportunity.

Two further converted penalties from Bolton’s Star of the Match Rhys Pritchard assured a deserved win 14-20 and eased the pain of last weeks defeat which was seemingly snatched from the jaws of victory.

Bolton’s First XV coach Richard Rawlinson expressed delight at the performance. “Lancaster Road is always a difficult place to visit and today's conditions were brutal but the boys kept their heads and dominated an aggressive and well drilled opponent. It’s a great weekend for the club as we are also being profiled with a two page feature in the Sale Sharks match day programme for their game against Leicester Tigers”.

With players returning from lengthy injuries and the home grown “young guns” gaining in confidence with every match the second half of the season is looking

Bolton’s next game is away and provides a chance to measure themselves against unbeaten table toppers Anselmians. Bolton's next home game at Avenue Street will be against Winnington Park on the 12th of February. The game kicks off at 2.15pm and all are welcome.