Ruskin Park 36 Bolton 22: BOLTON RUFC opened their season with a decent performance in defeat in a testing Lancashire Plate game in St Helens.
Ruskin Park have been beaten finalists in the last two years while Bolton fielded a new-look team including five debutants and nine players who have progressed through the junior ranks. Bolton took the lead when Singleton outpaced the defence to touch down in the corner. Neil Brookes kicked the difficult conversion.
The Bolton forwards had the upper hand with a new-look front row of Simon Brown, who was making his debut, captain Sam Hilton at hooker and recently arrived South African, Hartwig Driemeyer, pushing the home pack around.
Driemeyer offered a presence in any of the front row positions that the club has been missing for a few seasons.
Bolton were trailing 14-7 at half-time but retained hope. They worked hard to get back into the game with debutant number eight, James Brodie, and second row, Liam Mitchell, making big yardage regularly.
They scored the try of the game, with Greg Abbott finishing off a move that saw the ball moved across the pitch twice through several pairs of hands.
Andy Leigh, on as sub, also dummied and finished under the posts to give the scoreline a more realistic look.
Bolton's league campaign begins on Saturday at home to recently promoted Thornton Cleveleys.
Bolton RUFC are looking for players for all of their teams.
There are five men's teams, which train at Avenue Street, off Chorley Old Road, every Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm.
Bolton's ladies' team trains on Wednesdays at 7.30pm.
The club's U19 and U16 Colts gets together on Sundays at 1pm.
Bolton's junior (U16) side trains on Sundays at 10.30am.
The home side were very complimentary about the performance of the young Bolton side that had a good mix of lots of young potential supported by a few old heads. Brown at prop is a player who likes to carry the ball and Driemeyer offers a presence in any of the front row positions that the club has been missing for a few seasons. His fellow countryman Steven Kriel had a good debut playing in a slightly unfamiliar position at outside centre but his aggressive running and superb defence will be an asset to the club. The side can take a lot of positives from the game and if they had not had their friendly cried off last week may have ironed out the slight problems that always come with a group of new players.
New players for any of the groups are always welcome and a full list of training times is below;
SENIOR MEN 7.00p.m. Tuesday Thursday
COLTS/UNDER 16
S SUNDAY 1.00p.m.
JUNIORS SUNDAY 10.30a.m.
WOMEN WEDNESDAY 7.30p.m.
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