Saturday 31st March 18 : Littleborough RUFC 36pts v Hawcoat Park RUFC 3pts

Second Match in two weeks with this pair of Rugby Union Clubs, due to much earlier match in the season being cancelled due to bad weather and pitch condition, reference Boro this has never happened before in their long history.

At the start of the match Boro went on the immediate attack looking like they wanted to make up for losing the game last Saturday, which they eventually did in a big way. Attacking in visitors 22metres area then up into 5metres with good ball carrying from Chris Hough set the scene for most of the first half. Unfortunately, Boro, having all this pressure, just couldn’t get on the scoreboard, at this early stage they just couldn’t get it together. Then there was a moment when the opposition got down into Boro’s half, but Captain Andy Walton put in a huge kick to touch and the game swung back upfield. Then a great break by, who else, Matthew Goldthorpe and his following pass of the ball nearly got Boro over the try line. Then after some 26minutes play Boro did eventually cross the line with a fine try by Fullback Nathan Coop, who was constantly supporting his Threequarters. Boro now continued their pressure with a great attacking run from Wing Forward Jake Castree, unfortunately this was followed shortly after with a converted Penalty by the Visitors just before Half Time to bring the score to 5pts to 3pts, which no way near depicted the overall superiority of Boro Team.

The turn round at half time did not alter the performance from Boro, in fact it enhanced it and the whole team were right on top of their game and with only 10minutes played once again Capt. Walton put in an excellent cross kick to be expertly caught by Centre Three-quarter Chris Park to go over for Boro’s second Try, this time converted by Walton for a further 7points. Soon after Boro were back on the attack again for non-other than Goldthorpe to cross the try line for the first of his three tries of the day, again converted by Walton to bring the score up to 19pts to 3pts. Boro were well on top and making a nonsense of last weeks score as once again they came forward with a good pass out to Walton who then eventually fed Goldthorpe to repeat the last Try from himself with conversion again from Walton to up the score to 26pts to 3pts.

It was a brilliant match to watch by Boro supporters seeing all of their Team on the front foot playing so well and showing encouraging signs for the rest of the seasons matches which are all at Home.
Improving all time Boro were applauded by their supporters when they ran smartly forward passing the ball hand to hand all down the backline for eventually Park to feed Fullback Coop coming in on the wing again to go over for his second Try of the day and Boro’s fifth. This was an afternoon that both Boro players and supporters didn’t want to end, their rugby they were playing was lovely to watch and most surprisingly against a team who well beat them last Saturday away, perhaps the return of Josh Park from holiday and Murphy Holt was a positive to the team. Finally, to finish the match with one last attack Boro again passed the ball around expertly and finally got it in the hands of that try scorer, Goldthorpe for him to collect his hattrick of tries for the day.

The whole Boro team are to be congratulated for a quality performance which was well led by their Captain, Walton.

MATCH REPORT BY HARRY HANSON