Saturday’s league game at Green Lane between Moor and Bolton featured two clubs, who were in third and fourth place respectively in North Lancashire 1, both with 100% records in the division. Fixtures between the sides have traditionally been close affairs in recent times and so there was understandable concern that Moor’s record could be in jeopardy, especially as they had been forced to field a somewhat depleted pack of forwards due to unavailability and injuries. In the event such fears proved to be unfounded as the home side produced their best performance so far this season, despite being under pressure in the set scrums for most of the game, as they ran out comfortable winners 37-21.

As they have done in every game so far this season, Moor started brightly and took the lead after only 4 minutes when, from a scrum, scrum-half Felipe Silva quickly switched play down the blind side and fed centre Petr Stourac who bludgeoned his way through the defenders and ran 30 metres to score a try, which was unconverted by fly-half Martin Shelley. Moor continued to dominate open play and 10 minutes later won a line-out on the visitor’s 5-metre line and the ball was passed swiftly down the three-quarter line for left wing Adrian Reynolds to score another unconverted try in the corner. 2 minutes later, Silva scored the first of his 3 tries when No. 8 Nick Smith picked up from the base of the scrum and fed Silva who outpaced the opposition defence to score a spectacular 40 metre try, again unconverted. Bolton opened their account shortly afterwards when they repeated the same move from the Moor 5-metre line as their No. 8 picked up and some poor tackling by the Moor defence allowed him to crash over for a try which was converted. This setback was short-lived as the home side finished the half with Silva’s second try following a break by stand-in skipper Craig Buckley who fed the scrum-half to score under the posts, making an easy conversion for Shelley.

Immediately following the re-start, Moor stretched their lead as Stourac fed fullback Ivan Smetana who scored another unconverted try, followed shortly afterwards by a penalty kick by Shelley. With only 10 minutes of the second half gone, the game appeared to be well and truly sewn up, but the visitor’s were not going to be denied some glory as, in one of their rare forays into the Moor 22’, some ineffective tackling allowed one of their second-row forwards to force his way over for a converted try. This seemed to give Bolton a lift as, realising that their best hope was to keep the ball amongst their forwards, they launched a series of rolling mauls on the Moor line, but solid defence kept them out. From one such attack, Smetana produced a bone-crunching tackle causing the ball to be spilled and it was quickly picked up by Smith who fed Silva for the latter to race in from 30 metres for his hat-trick, converted by Shelley. In the last 5 minutes, Bolton put some respectability to their score as, having gained a penalty on Moor’s 5-metre line, they elected to take a scrum and had the satisfaction of scoring a push-over try from it, which was converted. Nevertheless, Moor took the honours and if ever the cliché ‘Quick Silva’ was appropriate, then this was the game for it!

Next Saturday, Moor play in a local derby as they take on second placed Old Bedians away in a league match, k.o. 3:00pm.

The 2^nd XV won a close game when they beat Old Bedians 2^nds 13-10, with a try from Chris Novak and a try and drop-goal from Mariusz Kondratowicz.

The 3^rd XV retained their 100% record as their opposition Bowdon 4^ths cried-off shortly before kick-off, ensuring them maximum points without having to pass a ball.

The Colts again ran out winners, 22-5 against Ellesmere Port in a hard fought match.

The newly-promoted Women’s XV opened their season in North 1 with a convincing 44-15 win against Northwich on Sunday at Green Lane, a result that was even more encouraging as their opponents only just missed out on promotion last season.