Clitheroe bump back down to earth

Clitheroe travelled away to Bolton buoyant after their good win the previous Saturday and looking for a full 4 points to continue their upward move in the league table. With some changes in the back line, the squad was always going to take time to gel – however, Bolton never really allowed the Clitheroe men into their stride.
Kicking off with a fair cross wind, the forwards were soon on the offensive and pressured into the Bolton half – the team was immediately rewarded when Fitzhenry slotted the penalty for a Bolton transgression. Soon Bolton pressured from the restart and were duly awarded their own penalty and the scores were level at 3- 3. The pressure was now all form Bolton who’s forwards were gaining the upper hand on the floor, but as they pushed forward the ball spilled out and Clitheroe snaffled possession and again pressed in to the Bolton half where their desperate defence gave a penalty and again Fitzhenry took the points. In a see-saw match Bolton’s aggressive running enabled them to push up the pitch and retain field position until the score came. With a driving run from their Number 8 they retook the lead to go 10 – 8 up. Again, the Maroon & Gold rallied and after some good quality play it was Peel who darted through the broken field to touch down in a move which involved backs and forwards that showed flashes of the quality this squad is capable of. With the conversion missed Clitheroe still led at the half time interval 10 – 13.
Bolton came out firing after the break and soon put Clitheroe under pressure in their own half. Their pressure soon gained its reward. A try came as the Bolton players kept hammering towards the Clitheroe try line, the 5 points put them back in the lead 15 – 13. From the re-start Clitheroe soon gained possession and again as they pressed into the Bolton 22 the ball was killed and Fitzhenry took the 3 points on offer to move the Maroon & Gold marginally back in front 15 – 16. Again, just when Clitheroe looked like they could pull away and close out the match, Bolton struck back with a try gained mainly through forward drives, with the conversion taken they moved into a 22 – 16 lead.
To their credit, and with the clock running down to the final whistle, Clitheroe again pressed into the Bolton half – still hungry for the victory. Yet again Bolton killed the ball when the pressure was on and yet again Fitzhenry punished and the Maroon & Gold clawed the Bolton lead back to 22 – 19.
With Cowgill having a great game on the open side flank, Smith having his usual sniping aggressive game at scrum half and pace in the back line through Greenwood, Basquill & Dickinson and only 3 points separating the teams it was anyone’s game with only 5 minutes left on the clock. As the Maroon & Gold pressed to take a vital match winning score, Bolton snatched the ball and rolled a maul up the pitch into the Clitheroe 22. After a series of direct runs, they touched down under the posts to take their lead to 29 -19 and the game had gone their way.
Clitheroe played well, with some great individual performances, but perhaps there were just too many changes in the squad to make it really gel. There will be no time for Easter Eggs next weekend as Clitheroe 1st XV entertain Upper Eden at home on Good Friday and travel to match up with Fylde on Easter Monday.
To see photos of the game at Bolton go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b..
Thanks to Mark Power for the link