Bolton RUFC’s first XV travelled to Liverpool Collegiate looking to bounce back from their loss at Leigh in Northern Division of Counties 2 ADM Lancashire and Cheshire.

Collegiate started strong and phase after phase Bolton looked flaccid in defence, and two minutes in, a converted try from the hosts gave them a 7-0 lead.

Bolton’s poor opening was glaring as the home side ran in three tries, kicked tw0 conversions and a penalty, extending their lead to 24-0.

Liverpool were playing very well with the number 12controlling field position and stepping in at number 10 for one of the tries to set up a well-worked move and put their winger straight through under the posts.

Bolton head coach, Ross Hayden, made three changes after Collegiate’s fourth try in an attempt to get more intensity on the field with Landi Mpofu, Matthew Robinson and Louie Ramm introduced.

It saw them carry with more aggression and guile, making headway up the pitch thanks to Dan Aspinall, Paul Leigh and Jonny Wallis.

A penalty was given for a high tackle and quick thinking saw Bolton advance before Collegiate then conceded another penalty. Once again, they advanced before a tackle by two players in offside position stopped a certain try, and the referee awarded a penalty try.

Bolton fielded this kick off well, and Hayden created space for 17-year-old winger Jacob Collinson, who sailed between two forwards to be one-on-one with the full-back. Despite a great step, he was dragged down, and Bolton’s forwards took it from there, taking some hard-fought carries to cross for a second try.

The visitors had a new lease of life and Collegiate’s kicking game stopped working and it was all Bolton for the rest of the first half.

They found two more tries thanks as the half ended 24-19 to the hosts.

After the restart, Bolton went ahead when Ryan McClusky ran the ball in from around 35 metres out and the conversion was made by Hayden making it 26-24 to Bolton.

A few minutes after their kick off, Liverpool Collegiate were awarded a penalty and kicked for the corner, some great maul defence from Bolton thwarted that idea, then the visitors found themselves on their line defending.

Substitute Mpofu and Leigh made a great tackle centimetres from their own line for captain Wallis to pounce on the open ruck. Bolton were appointed a penalty for the Collegiate player holding on and kicked far down the pitch and cleared even further with the clean ball from their lineout. This resulted in the Collegiate winger knocking the ball on thanks to pressure from Collinson.

Bolton now had a scrum on the 22 and some solid forward phases got them to about 10 metres from the line before Hayden decided to throw a wonder ball over four players heads and about half of the pitch and Jon Brennen was there to catch it and dot down for the visitors’ fifth try- Brennen’s first ever for the first team.

Collegiate suspended their kicking game and started to spread the ball wide, only to be met by Josh Holmes and Henry Davies defending well. The hosts still had the ball, though, and were going through phases well before a forward scored close to the corner flag. The resulting kick was made to reduce the arrears to 35-31.

Then Bolton found themselves in Collegiate’s half and Mpofu won a penalty that Hayden slotted through the upright.

The kick off was fielded well and a couple of carries from Matty Robinson and Aspinall set Hayden up to kick deep into the other half. The ball was spilled by Collegiate’s winger and Josh Holmes was there to pounce and score with two minutes to play to seal a 41-31 win.

Man of the match was Wallis for leading from the front.