Match Report: Bolton RUFC 26-7 Oldham RUFC

Oldham travelled to Bolton for Saturday’s league fixture. Bolton had convincingly won at Manor Park earlier in the season and with 7 changes from Oldham’s last fixture two weeks ago at Hoylake with player unavailability.

Bolton started the brightest and after some forays into Oldham’s half were awarded with two penalty kicks following an infringement from Oldham at the ruck and the second one from a questionable high tackle. With Bolton 6-0 up after 10 minutes it could have looked ominous however Oldham sprung into life. Jordan McEwan kicked well turning the Bolton team and forcing errors and from a catch and drive from an Oldham lineout close to the line the ball was fed from McEwan to Tom Davies who timed a great pass to put Brian Massey into a hole beating three defenders to go underneath the posts. With McEwan adding the extras Oldham went in front 7-6. Oldham then enjoyed the majority of possession for the rest of the first half but couldn’t take any opportunities to add any further points with a missed penalty kick and a number of times being on the Bolton line but not having enough composure to score.

With hopes high at the interval and Oldham being in front for one of the few times this season, hopes were that Oldham would continue as they had done in the first half. Bolton seemed to come out firing on all cylinders in the second half and Oldham conceded an early try which seemed to take the bite out of Oldham and give Bolton more impetus. Oldham fought back but some poor decision making at crucial times and the discipline issues crept into Oldham’s play. The penalty count was over double what Oldham had conceded in the first half which gave Bolton too much easy possession and territory. Off the back of this Bolton scored a further two tries and, in the end, whilst they deserved the win the score line flattered them somewhat.

A story of what could have been for Oldham. A much better display from the team, where the game just got away from them in the second half. Josh Semple was awarded Oldham’s man of the match for a battling performance in both attack and defence.