BAE Warton 1st  v Bolton 4th

Trotting out onto a claggy pitch in blustery conditions, 4 weeks after their last game and having eaten too many mince pies, wasn’t the best warm-up for the Bolton team. 

Warton started strongly and took the play to the Bolton half. Good tackling by Eric Cruice and Tom Comery could only hold the home team at bay for so long, and it wasn’t a surprise when their prop burst thru to breach the defence.  The last gasp ‘tackle’ from James “I’ll throw myself on the ground in front of him and see if that stops him” Dean wasn’t enough and he ran on to score. 

A second try was added 10 minutes later in similar fashion. 

Too much alcohol over the festive period also seemed to have allowed Bolton to forget how good their defence was pre-xmas.  Comery pulled back a penalty on the stroke of half time. 

Half-time 14 – 3.

Playing into the wind in the second half, Bolton had to raise their game to prevent Warton piling on the points.  And raise it they did, though the first up tackling will still need to be improved.  Warton added 2 further tries but the Bolton defence was much better than the first half. 

Final score Warton 28 Bolton 3
 
Time keepers Award – Mitchell Ashcroft, who now understands that when we say meet at 12, that means at Bolton Rugby Club, not at the away venue!

Charge Down Award – Tom Comery, who stopped the ball by merely using his groin.  Apparently the coach laughing at him and offering a cold, mud, compress didn’t make it hurt any less.
 
WWE Powerslam Award – ‘Hightower’ Dodd, for creaming the oppositions hooker.