BOLTON Under-15s may have lost, but they did themselves proud in the quarter-finals of the Lancashire Junior Challenge Cup against an elite Liverpool Collegiate side.

Despite previously boasting a 100-per-cent winning record in the league stage of the competition, the Avenue Street side travelled to Merseyside as huge underdogs and went down 30-0.

A fine start saw Bolton the better team, pressing hard and having the bulk of possession close to the Collegiate goal-line.

Captain Fred Holt-Gregson pressed hard and number 10 Harry McDermott was his usual combative self.

Unfortunately, handling errors in difficult conditions led to them failing to capitalise on the spell, but served notice to their hosts they had a match on their hands.

Collegiate upped their game midway through the first half and Bolton responded with Cameron Milton stifling their main threat on the wing with terrier-like tackling.

The home team switched their approach to use the weight of their pack to drive through the middle.

Bolton defended valiantly with big tackles from Tom Jenkinson, Connor Whittle, Oliver Keogh and Blake Griffiths.

But the breakthrough came on 16 minutes when the defence gave way, and the lead was doubled straight from the restart when Bolton were caught in a moment of disorganisation and Collegiate caught and ran the ball straight back over.

Bolton regrouped and were still in the match until just before half time when Collegiate scored again to make it 19-0.

Bolton continued to impress in the second half against a top side who made the most of their opportunities, and, having exited the competition at the last-eight stage, the Avenue Street team now progress to the semi-finals of the development cup tournament to be played in the first week of April.

Bolton's u14s had a change of opposition after being given a bye through to the final of their cup competition due to their opponents conceding the game.

Widnes duly obliged in offering them a friendly which Bolton won 24-10.

Dan Gregory opened the scoring early, Mason Rimmer scored a second which Scott Gillibrand converted, and Lewis Howard got a third try which Robert Murray converted with a long-range kick on the angle before Widnes responded with a try just before half time.

A second Widnes try at the start of the second half narrowed the gap, but Gregory sealed the victory with five minutes to go in a game which was marred by Callum Gordon breaking his arm in two places.