Fixtures between Eccles and Bolton stretch back to 1904 and there have been many close contests over the years. This was not one. With the teams at opposite ends of the Lancashire & Cheshire Counties 1 table, the outcome of ‘top' versus ‘bottom' was never in doubt with two tries in the opening 10 minutes setting Eccles on their way to a bonus-point win over their visitors. Eccles clear attacking intent was lead by the captain who opened the scoring in the opening minute whilst supporters were still searching for a vantage point on the busy balcony and touchline. TRY (Cox) 1” 5-0. Bolton responded to this early set back forcing Eccles to defend inside their 22 but this pressure could not be sustained and possession was ultimately lost, leading to an Eccles break out with winger Fortune and Fullback Parkinson combining speed with crisp passing to attack up the left flank into Bolton territory where Wright and Simpson combined to deceive the defenders, switching back to the short side, offloading to Ackers-Johnson who broke free up the wing to cross the line and scooter around to score behind the posts with Simpson adding the first of his seven conversions. TRY (Ackers-Johnson) Conv (Simpson) 10” 12-0. Once again Bolton took the fight to Eccles, with Fullback Hayden in particular contributing accurate kicking and determined running to keep play mostly in the middle of the pitch for the next 10 minutes with the rain influencing handling errors for both teams. The Eccles defence remained disciplined and with 20 minutes played the game was lodged just inside the Bolton half as the Eccles searched for a break through. A penalty awarded centre field gave Eccles the opportunity to attack with the ball kicked to the right corner by Simpson. The line-out catch and drive was well executed and the hooker secured his second try of the match at the rear of the unstoppable maul; the stand off adding the extras with an accurate kick from out wide. TRY ECCLES (Cox) conv (Simpson) 25” 19-0. Following the restart, the Bolton fly half was shown a yellow card for a high tackle and Eccles used their numerical advantage to keep play inside Bolton territory for the next 10 minutes. A dogged Bolton defence held on, stopping Campbell and then Candland just short of the goal line, until some incsisive stike running from Houghton and Cox redirected the attack and the ball fired out wide to find Booth, waiting on the right flank, who trotted in to score. TRY ECCLES (Booth) 36” 24-0. Locks unlocked. There was time before the break for the Eccles forwards to add another score to their tally with another well executed line-out catch and drive in the right corner; and another excellent kick from the boot of Simpson to complete a satisfying half for the hosts. TRY ECCLES (Spooner) Conv (Simpson) 39” 31-0. HT 31-0 Eccles introduced replacements at the interval (Apinall for Read at Tighthead, Evans for Thornton at Blindside, and Tim Cullen at Scrum Half for Long) but otherwise continued exactly as they had left off before the break, adding to the score in the opening minutes of play. TRY ECCLES (Spooner) 41” 36-0. Bolton dug in and attempted to slow the game down. For the next 20 minutes the rain deteriorated the pitch conditions and play was contained to the edge of the Bolton 22 without penetration. At 58” a lofted kick from Simpson over to the left wing found Fortune who was odds on to score in the corner but the match official brought play back to the middle of the pitch for a Bolton injury. The hosts maintained their attacking pressure on the visitors and 2 minutes later Bolton received a second yellow card, followed by a yellow for Eccles number 8, Luke Cullen, at 62”. This disrupted period of penalties inside Bolton territory continued until an Eccles knock on offered Bolton respite in the form of a scrum on the halfway line. However the ball was lost and Simpson, alert to the opportunity, kicked once again out to the left wing where it found Parkinson who caught it on the run, sped away and crossed the line to score behind the posts. TRY ECCLES (Parkinson) Conv (Simpson) 63” 43-0. With injuries adding to their troubles Bolton were now a depleted force and the last quarter of the match saw Eccles add four more tries to their score, all finished by former homegrown colts, the first coming from a destructive line break from the young centre TRY ECCLES (Candland) Conv (Simpson) 67” 50-0. A catalystic break by Simpson, from a penalty at the halfway line, resulted in Cox carrying the ball into the 22 and the supporting Houghton capped off another impressive performance for the young back row by charging over to score to the side of the sticks. TRY ECCLES (Houghton) Conv (Simpson) 71” 57-0. A fast break at the restart up the right flank released Parkinson to exploit the space in the Bolton defence. The fullback had Ackers-Johnson supporting outside but elected not to pass and in the heavy rain evaded the tackler and slid over the muddy line to score his second. TRY ECCLES (Parkinson) Conv (Simpson) 73” 64-0. In the final minute a terrific driving line break from prop Aspinall took play deep into the 22 before he offloaded neatly to his supporting Hooker and Captain who scored behind the posts but failed to round off his hat trick with the boot, missing the conversion. TRY ECCLES (Cox) 79” 69-0. Bolton were out classed but deserve credit for their efforts in getting a team on the pitch and battling to the very end. Eccles are finding form at the business end of the season and this 11-try demolition will do their promotion challenge no harm with five games to go and a lead at the top of just 2 points. A fixture-free week means Eccles will take a break next Saturday as second place Widnes face Warrington. Next game for Eccles is 2nd March at Didsbury Toc H. FT 69-0 Eccles team: Read, Cox, Campbell, Booth, Spooner, Thornton, Houghton, L Cullen; Long, Simpson; Ackers-Johnson, Candland, Wright, Fortune, Parkinson. Replacements: Aspinall, Evans, T Cullen. Photos: Phil Saunders Hall.
