Bowdon played host to Leigh at the Clay on a cold but dry November day. With a strong wind blowing across the pitch towards the Ridgeway Road and kicking off towards the Ponda Rosa Bowdon got off to a flying start when after 4 minutes fullback Will Nicholson linked up well with Jamie Anthony upon the left wing. Good pace and vision from both made ground up the flank opening a hole in the Leigh defense for Will Nicholson to receive the deft inside pass and open the scoring. [5-0]
There then followed a riposte from the visitors in the form of 2 converted penalties as mounting pressure midfield led to Bowdon offending with alarming regularity not dissimilar to last week. [5-6] With their tails up and full of vitality Leigh countered Bowdon’s best efforts with stand-off Drake kicking well for position and the forwards pick and driving through the centre field. It was from one of these drives midfield 10m in the Bowdon half that a series of swift passes exposed the home team’s right flank allowing Leigh to further increase the lead with a well worked try in the corner.[5 – 11] With 17 minutes played Bowdon were beginning to look lethargic and rudderless. Up stepped Liam Connelly at centre who cajoled and encouraged the players setting an example with some strong tackling and powerful punishing well angled runs. Bowdon began to show some authority as Will Batterbury at 9 varied the play using Alex Bowen and William Birtwell with good effect. Number 10 Jonny Edwards was beginning to open the play up and when at 23 minutes Bowdon scored through Jamie Anthony the self- belief visibly began to return to the team.
[ 12-11] With the Bowdon lineout and scrummage operating well this week the pressure began to tell upon the opposition, even more so when their 6 received a yellow card. The Bowdon backrow of Tom Gomulko, Liam Rice and Mike Waddington began to find space and rampaged about the field of play adding three more try’s through Waddington (2) and Gomulko (1) to the tally at half time. [29-11]

The 2nd half began as it left off with Bowdon controlling the ebb and flow of the game. Scrummaging well six minutes in and pressure upon the Leigh line led to a number eight score for Mike Waddington. [34 – 11] Bowdon continued to move the ball in hand throughout the 2nd half and despite a valiant effort by Leigh, which was rewarded by a try in the 27th minute, Bowdon scored a further 6 trys through Alex Bowen, Tom Gomulko (3) and George Smith (2) with Will Batterbury converting 5 and so running out deserved winners 74 – 16.

With both the 2nd XV and the 3rd XV also having had fine wins the club was in high spirits as the players revelled in the afterglow of victory whilst overhead fireworks lit up the November night skies.