RUGBY UNION: Bolton continued to move up the North Lancashire League One table with a hard-fought victory over a spirited Tarleton side.

Tarleton took a lead when a questionable offside decision at the scrum was not given, and the visitors’ number seven took advantage of some loose tackling to cross.

From the restart, Bolton shifted up a gear and, following a ferocious chase from Brogan and the outstanding Brodie, Tarleton spilled the ball and, after a number of good phases, Lovgreen slotted home a drop goal to reduce the deficit to 5-3 at half-time.

Bolton continued to up the pace of the game and, with the pack exerting their dominance, Cooper surged over. Lovgreen missed the conversion to leave the game finely balanced at 8-5 in Bolton’s favour.

The home side’s forwards continue to dominate and, from a scrum, captain Brodie showed his football skills before gratefully dropping on the ball to score.

Lovgreen added the extras to make the game safe at 15-5 and put Bolton in good stead for Saturday’s testing trip to Birchfield.

Bolton’s second team meanwhile stormed back from 34-7 down at half time only to lose 37-34 as a result of a last-gasp penalty.

It was Vale of Lune who struck first as they caught the Bolton team unaware with the first converted try.

After a couple decent runs from Bolton, Mike Singleton to unleashed Jez Rees who sprinted around the Vale winger to finish in the corner. Danny Barlow slotted the conversion excellently from out wide. Vale took the lead with two unanswered penalties and two converted tries followed for Vale as their kicker hit fine form.

Bolton still believed they could win the game, although they trailed 34-7 at half time. With 25 minutes to go, a well-worked backs move involving Tom Lee and Singleton combined to set up Rees’s second try and Barlow kicked the extras. With both sides agreeing rolling substitutions, Bolton brought back the revitalised Dave O’Byrne with Tony McLaughlin before Joe Waller dived over the try line — converted by Barlow — to bring the teams closer.

Crow narrowed the gap further before Barlow notched a penalty to bring it to 34-29.

McLaughlin crashed over the line again to level the scores as a result of the missed conversion, but the Lancaster side nicked it with their late penalty.