The tide has turned

After a tough spell for the club with 3 league defeats seeing the team slip from first in the league to 5th the Maroon & Golds were looking to stop the rot and return to their early season form. With injuries still plaguing the squad and a shortage of players for both teams this was going to be a challenge, but Clitheroe often operate at their best when facing adversity. For Bolton, it must have been the boot on the other foot with this being their only senior game of the afternoon.

Bolton started well with some slick work at the breakdown meaning Clitheroe lost possession in some key areas of the pitch, but slowly the Clitheroe back row woke up and started to compete with old stager Rigby showing the way as usual, with the rest of the pack following. By the end of the first quarter the Maroon & Golds started to gain the upper hand – a blindside move from the scrum saw specialist inside centre Curphey charge along from a slick pass from astute stand off Watson. After making good yardage he slip it nicely to Ernest Thomas. Ernest was looking for his inaugural first team try and he duly scorched in to open the scoring. Surely the first of many tries for this exciting, rapid youngster.

Having his usual aggressive game, Chambermaid scored under the posts 5 minutes from half time after that man again – Mark Curphey – had made inroads to get to within inches of the line after a snappy quick penalty from Smith at scrum half. The score line was now 12 – 0 and Clitheroe looked like they might run away with some further tries. However, the half time break scuppered their momentum and Bolton came out refreshed and looking for scores to peg back the home team.

Bolton took a penalty to make the deficit 9 points and they then spent the next 15 minutes threatening the Clitheroe line, manful defence from the forwards – especially the hard working, hard driving tight 5 of Atkinson, Thornber, Edmondson, Dowson & Nuttall – aided by the backs meant that while Bolton were close to the whitewash and even over it at times, the ball was always wrapped up tighter than a python’s breakfast and in truth they never looked like grounding the ball.

A further 2 penalties were added to close the gap to 3 points and make for a grandstand finale, Bolton pressing all the while and Clitheroe looking to get out of their own half. Excellent running from Kino at fullback and O’Connor on the wing saw the team move forward but Bolton came back time and time again looking for the penalty that would draw the game. Again the defence held firm with aggressive tackling from Olly Greenwood and Curphey in the centres, while the pack practiced the dark art of tight forward play in the ruck and maul.

As the last minute arrived Bolton were rewarded for their pressure and given awarded a penalty within kickable range, the pressure on the Bolton kicker told and he missed to the right of the posts, then courting controversy the referee ordered it to be retaken as he deemed some Clitheroe players were not still when the kick was taken. Fortunately for Clitheroe, this time he missed to the left and the game was won, 12 – 9.

A magnificent performance of grit and determination from the whole squad and although difficult to pick a standout Man of the Match, it was awarded to Brian Wood for his unstinting supportive role throughout the 80 minutes. With an upbeat mood in the squad will be taken away to Hutton next Saturday as the league fixtures continue.