BOLTON Mets' former players won the club's annual Old Boys match.

The game has become the club's traditional curtain-raiser to the season and is between the current side and a team made up of their ex-players.

The Old Boys edged the sixth edition of the match by the narrowest of margins, finishing 21-20 victors, with the win only secured with the last play of the game last weekend to extend their series lead to 4-2.

Mark Dorning, Gavin Hatton and Jonathan McMillan scored the Mets' tries, with captain Daryl Devlin scoring three conversions and a penalty.

They were up against probably the strongest line-up every fielded by the Old Boys, for whom Chris Piercy, Gaz Hession, Colin Crompton and Adam Millington scored tries, and Ste Hickey scored two conversions and the decisive drop goal at the death at the club's home ground of Greenhalgh's Pavilion, Bolton Rugby Club, Avenue Street.

Mets kick off the new North West League Division Five season on Saturday at home to Newton Storm (kick off 2.30pm).