Boro denied win by penalty miss

KONRAD Hill’s late penalty miss meant Littleborough’s second team had to settle for a share of the spoils at a snowy Mortfield Pavilion against their Bolton counterparts.

The home side started the opening stages much the brighter and were only denied by some impressive and claustrophobic defence by Littleborough. Sure enough that it would be Littleborough to score the first try.

A cross field kick from the most unlikely of sources in Paul Fino was not dealt with properly by the Bolton defence in the right corner.

Boro centre Dylan Critchley became the happy beneficiary as he managed to get his right hand on the ball as it sat on the line.

For the majority of the first half, Bolton would hold the possession and the territory in their attempt to utilise the downhill slope and the favourable wind direction.

However the visitors would not let them settle as they disrupted the scrum, stole every single line out bar one and forced Bolton into errors.

Just as the away side thought they had withheld the storm until the break, Bolton disrupted a Littleborough scrum in the visitors 22 and caused the home side to concede a penalty.

With that the Bolton prop drove over from close range.

After the break Littleborough endured a terrible opening as they lost field position and their fly half Konrad Hill to a yellow card.

Bolton took full advantage shortly after as they took back control of the scoreboard with a try from the outside centre in the right corner.

In this end to end and highly competitive game Littleborough drew back level with a fine catch and drive which Paul Fino was able to finish off – a huge reward for a forwards pack that dominated the game in the set piece.

As soon as the scores were level, they were separated once more as for the third and final time in the game the home side took a slender five-point lead with another close range effort.

Determined not to let the game slip away from them Littleborough increased the intensity and pressure on the Morfield Pavillion-based outfit and were rewarded with a third try.

Fly half Hill made amends for his earlier indiscretion with a jinking run to the right corner against a disjointed Bolton from a quick tap penalty.

Hill even had time to be the match winner as he lined up a straight forward penalty five metres from half way line.

Bolton were penalised for playing the ball illegally at the breakdown.

Unfortunately, 25 year old Hill could not overcome the difficult conditions as it sailed to the right of the posts.