Bolton men’s seconds seal promotion after beating leaders

After eight months and 21 game weeks, it was down to a final-day showdown for Bolton Hockey Club’s men’s seconds as they looked to seal promotion against league leaders Bowdon sixths.

And clinch it they did in fine fashion, beating the North West Men’s Division Six East champions-elect 6-5 in their own back yard.

Bolton had led the way for 20 of the 21 weeks, but going into the final weekend they were second, three points off top, two points in front of third, with only the top two promoted.

Only a 25-goal swing could prevent Bowdon from being champions but Bolton knew their main job was a win to seal promotion.

The hosts’ goalscoring prowess was on show within five minutes as they slammed home their first penalty corner, a bullet of a strike from the centre-back.

Bolton did not panic and within three minutes, great movement within the D, saw Kryan Chitre get in front of his defender and slot home the equaliser.

Bolton continued to press Bowdon back, and after another fine exchange of passes the ball found Matt Simpson, who swept it into the back corner with just 16 minutes gone.

Bowdon attacked next and forced a good save from Bolton keeper Sam Wood, before the visitors did the same. Their lead did not last long, though, as Bowdon again found a way through the overran Bolton defence.

The scoring was not done for the half, a good run down the right by James Tague, saw the ball pulled back to Kyle Hatch who put it on a plate for Louie Morgan to tap home. Ahead again but once more the lesson were not learnt as the porous defence was breached once more and it was 3-3 after 30 minutes of madness.

Bolton were not done. A hit and hope into the D, and a deflection from Hatch beat the defender and keeper at the near post to put them 4-3 ahead at the break.

After the restart, a run down the right from Louie Morgan saw the ball cut back and Chitre got his second with a wonderful first time strike to beat the Bowdon keeper.

For the first time, Bolton had breathing space and the hosts panicked a little.

Bolton extended their lead further when Max Frost came up with a trademark run and dribble before slipping the ball under the keeper to make it 6-3.

At this point Bolton changed tactics, less offensive and more time management as some of the older heads showed their experience to run the clock down.

Bowdon still carried a threat, and with four minutes to go they made things nervy by pulling back another penalty corner thunderbolt.

After a missed penalty corner opportunity and time almost out Bolton were just about there but the final whistle went just after the award of another penalty corner, meaning it had to be played out. Bowdon scored their third from the set-piece, their fifth goal overall, but it was too little to rescue anything from the match.

They end as champions, but suffer home and away loses to promoted Bolton seconds.

The win became essential as third-placed City of Manchester won their game 8-0, meaning all three teams finished with identical records, but were separated by goal difference - and City’s two-point deduction for fielding an unregistered player.

Bolton can make it a famous double as the play the Lancashire Cup final against South Manchester on April 20.

In the weekend’s other games, the men’s firsts finished their North West Men’s Division Three South season with a match against Southport firsts.

Southport were one place but eight points above Bolton in fourth, with sixth-placed Didsbury five points behind.

Bolton would stay fifth no matter what and fittingly saw out a 1-1 draw, captain Scott Mather with the early goal.

The men’s thirds went into the final day at risk of relegation from North West Men’s Division Six East, but by the time they started their home match against Brooklands sixths, they knew only a heavy defeat would see them down.

While they did slip to a 4-3 defeat, with goals from Oliver Scales, Phil Morgan and Richard Moore, they had achieved their aim of staying up.

The women’s firsts had already assured survival in10th place, and could not improve on that in North West Women’s Division Two South.

They played ninth-placed Urmston firsts and signed off the season in style with a 4-1 win, two goals coming from Jane Topping, with Jenny Brookfield and Chloe Frost getting the others.

The women’s seconds had already suffered relegation from North West Women’s Division Four South and were hoping to sign off with a positive performance. They did just that with a great comeback in a 3-3 draw with Oldham seconds, two goals from Viv Lake and one from Lucy Pickles.