TRAFFORD MV's North Lancs/Cumbria Division season ended with a 53-41 home defeat against Bolton.

Bolton opened strongly and MV conceded early errors which brought the visitors the opening score from Niall Murphy to which MV responded with a long-range penalty from Pat Eccles.

On 10 minutes, a drive from a line-out saw Will Bate break off and score for Bolton, Joe Speakman converting.

Bolton were looking good with strong runners and good handling causing MV problems.

Bate scored his second after 20 minutes from a quick tap penalty, Speakman's conversion making it 17-3.

But MV came back into contention when skipper Andy Quigley made a break from 30 yards, a neat side-step took him away from the defence and a try close to the posts resulted with Eccles converting.

Bolton then struck twice in quick succession as first Jack Robinson and then Bate scored tries, with one Speakman conversion.

MV came back again before the break with Jamie Kingdon bursting through a strong defence to reduce the arrears.

Bolton came out strongly once again with a Ryan McClusky try and a Bate penalty.

MV were striving to keep in touch and this time it was coach Stuart Crampton that scored.

Bate collected his fourth try of the game for Bolton from a tap penalty and dummy before MV rallied and tries came from Eccles and Luke Cox with man-of-the-match Eccles converting both.

Both sides were enjoying the tussle and both picked up another try each before the whistle blew.

The sport now changes at MacPherson Park as the whites of the cricket XI replace the rugby black and whites.

Trafford's first XI opened their season with a draw against Over Peover, both sides out for 125 runs.