The culmination to a hard and long season was upon the Old Boltonians with
only one game remaining. But this game was the big one, an LAL 1st XI cup
final. Leyland County Ground hosted this game as the Old Boltonians came
face to face with an old foe, local rivals Little Lever. The Old Boltonins
had the better of the league encounters between the two teams this season,
being victorious in both games, but they were both difficult and tight
affairs.

The Old Boltonians picked an unchanged side from the semi-final, where they
had comprehensively dispatched league champions Old Blackburnians, and were
in confident mood for the game. Captain Craig Jolley, for maybe the first
time this season, won the coin toss and chose to take advantage of the
strong, blustery wind in the first half. Whether it was the conditions or
the tenseness of a cup final it is unknown, bit the early stages of the
game were far from a spectacle. Both teams struggled to keep possession for
a prolonged period of time, with both teams producing good football only
sporadically. Both teams had conceded very few goals this season and this
was highly apparent as both defences were on top during this first period.
Chances were at a premium. The only time the goal was threatened was as a
result of a strike from outside the Little Lever penalty area by Kieran
Walsh that shook an upright. A good effort, but the lead may have flattered
the Old Boltonians at this stage and the game drifted to a goalless
half-time interval.

For the first twenty minutes of the second half, the game followed the same
pattern, with little being created in the way of goal scoring
opportunities. The game was in desperate need of a goal. And minutes later,
the deadlock was broken. Player of the season Matt McCllelan(d) and Josh
Melling kept the ball well in a congested midfield, but were looking devoid
of options. Craig Jolley surged forward from central defence to create an
extra option and fill the space that had been left by the midfield duo's
interplay. Matt McCllelan knocked a square pass that Jolley took well in
his stride. Jolley took a couple of touches while advancing on the Little
Lever defence before slipping a precise through ball to the alert Darren
Dalton. Dalton controlled well before slipping the ball expertly past the
on-rushing keeper. 1-0. The crowd went wild. The Old Boltonians were
determined not to throw this away.

Within another fine minutes the lead was doubled. Substitute Nick Luke,
playing an unfamiliar right wing position, found space in the Little Lever
half before finding Rob Taylor with another defence splitting through ball.
Taylor made no mistake and tucked the ball into the Lever net. 2-0. Surely
this was game over? Apparently, not. Immediately from the kick off, the Old
Boltonians lost their concentration and allowed the Little Lever forward to
score from the edge of the area after an impressive solo run. But he should
have not been allowed to travel so far with the ball unchallenged.
Disappointing. The final minutes of the game were going to be tense.

The Old Boltonians defending with guile, which has been typical of the
season's performance, kept Little Lever at bay, but the pressure was
mounting. The referee's whistle came as music to the ears of the Old
Boltonians players as he signalled the end of the game. The Old Boltonians
had won the cup and had finished a successful season on a high.