The first match of the season for both Warrington and Bolton U14s was a tense and scrappy affair, as both teams shook off the rust in this opening Lancashire Cup fixture. With so much at stake, nerves were evident, and the game saw no points on the board by half-time, reflecting the fierce defensive efforts from both sides.

The second half, however, kicked off with more energy and determination. Warrington were the first to break the deadlock when Will Reynolds confidently slotted a penalty, putting his team ahead 3-0. But Bolton soon responded, gaining momentum with their powerful scrummaging and hard running. They finally broke through Warrington's defence for the first try of the game, though they missed the conversion, taking the lead 5-3.

The match then swung in Bolton's favour, as they applied heavy pressure following the restart, aided by a series of penalties conceded by Warrington. Bolton camped on Warrington’s try line, but incredible defensive grit and a crucial turnover allowed Warrington to escape the danger.

Warrington capitalised on this momentum, putting together their first sustained spell of possession. In a series of moves that took them, coast-to-coast, they stretched the Bolton defence to its limit, before Seth Phillipson found space down the blind side to score the pivotal try. Will Reynolds added the conversion, giving Warrington a 10-5 lead.

As the clock ticked down, Bolton fought back and made some dangerous breaks down their right wing. But Warrington, showing immense resolve and teamwork, held firm. In the final moments, they drove Bolton into touch on the last play, securing a hard-fought 10-5 victory in their opening Lancashire Cup match.

Warrington will take heart from their defensive efforts and the character shown under pressure, while Bolton will no doubt rue missed opportunities but can take plenty of positives from their strong performance.

Warrington MOM was Oscar Platt, who put in an amazing performance on his debut for Warrington.

Team
1. Hari Owen
2. Sam Tester
3. Leo Povey
4. Henry Crowsen
5. Tai Beddal
6. Oscar Platt
7. Joss Ivins
8. Aidan Short
9. Will Gleeson
10. Will Reynolds
11. Harry Hazell
12. Logan Jones
13. Joel Dewhurst-Doyle
14. Kieran O’Leary
15. Seth Phillipson (C)

16. Charlie Thomas
17. Charlie Cooke
18. Ralph Kreisler