Bo’ Romp to 74 - Nil victory .

Clay Lane saw a 12 try romp as the first team beat Dukinfield for the third time this season. This continues their push for promotion from South Lancs and Cheshire Division 2.

From the kick off Bowdon showed their intent on winning and keeping the visitor away from their try line. The forwards playing aggressive controlled Rugby and the backs letting loose with silky skills to bamboozle the oppositions. The first points were scored after several rucks around the Dukinfield 5 meter line. This drew players in allowing hooker Harry Booth to dive over the line to score. Bowdon’s Second Try came with only 15 minutes on the board. A quick free kick exploited the middle of the visitors defence, strong play from the forwards and quick passing allowed Thiu Barnard to stroll through between the posts. Bowdon were now dominant and Dukinfield , although tackling well and at time competing never looked like scoring . On 23 minutes Bowdon were again dominating up front. From a ruck 10 meters out the visitors midfield stepped offside giving Bo’ a free play - It looked like Prop Tom Shaw would barge over for the score , only for play to be brought back to the Penalty - as Thiu had called for it - rather than the advantage! The shaken heads on the side lines were soon forgotten as Darius crossed the whitewash to score between the posts!

5 minutes later and a hook against the head on the Duk 10 meter line led to Swets strolling through the middle of the park to score the fourth first half try, thus guaranteed the bonus point and with scoring looking like a forlorn hope for the visitors the match win as well! For the last 10 minutes of the half the game degenerated as Bowdon forgot their own game plan and played down to Dukinfields. This resulted in several stoppages as the ref warned both sides about their conduct. The only happy man at this stage was Tom Slone who didn’t need to go searching for balls behind the far end of the pitch, after Swets had kicked the conversions for the tries scored!

The Team Talk was a simple one! Play our game - Keep mouths shut! And move the ball quickly at every opportunity!

This saw Bowdon increase the intensity and exploit gaps in the defence of the visitors. This paid dividends for the home side with several second half tries coming from quick thinking the home players taking advantage of speedy ball. All of Bowdon's players were playing well, both forwards and backs linking up to give a complete team performance.

The opening try of the second half came after only 3 minutes. Swets made a quick break from our 10 meter line, drawing in the fullback to release Mark Wells to score between the posts. The gasps from the side lines were both for the great play and also the fact Swets passed rather than steamrollering over the full back, a sight seen several times this season! A few minutes later Martin Gallagher, rising like a salmon on the river Shannon, pinched the visitor’s line out just inside their 10. From the ruck the ball popped out to Phil Gare who went on a mazy run, breaking several would be tackles to score between the posts. Swets again kicking both conversions to make the score 42 : 0

Bowdon’s plan of moving the ball quickly was instrumental in their next try, a quickly taken penalty gave the forwards the momentum to push the visitors back, quick rucking seeing them back peddle further and further . From the third quick ruck the ball popped to Swets who stretched for the line to score out wide on the left.

Dukinfield heads were now looking down and Bowdon were attacking from all over the park. From a scrum on the Bowdon 10 meter line Thiu picked up at Number 8 driving forward up the blind side he popped the ball to Phil, on the halfway line, who set the off racing down the park scorching the Dukinfield defence to score his second of the afternoon. Two minutes later and a break from Phil set Bo’ on the attack again, this time he was caught only to pop the ball to Tom Shaw who in turn popped to Big Sean. He kept the ball moving passing to Paddy who finally passed to Darius to go over wide on the left for a scintillating try.

Arguably the best try of the day came next, attacking down the left wing both forwards and backs combined to keep the ball moving, from the far side all we saw was some sleight of hand as the ball was passed round the back of a Bowdon player - onto Paul Mosley then onto Thiu to run through unopposed out wide. Latter in the dressing room Swets assured me it was him!

Bo’s last two tries came in the last 10 minutes Tom Shaw - Finally scoring out wide to make up for the earlier try he was denied, and Harry Booth scoring after some great close passing down the left wing -running in and diving close to the posts.

Man of the Match was given to Danny Marshall for tireless working all day in the front row, or possibly because he also had a yard to drink marking his first season in the Bo’ team. Next week sees Bowdon in the semi-final of the Cheshire Bowl with a home game against Port Sunlight.