The unaccommodating weather waned for the first time in 2009 to allow the
Old Boltonians to restart their title charge after a seven week enforced
break. After Simon Shields and Baz Culf re-explained the rules of the game,
the memories came flooding back and the team were ready for kick off.
Radcliffe Town were the hosts and were languishing at the foot of the
table, having taken only one point from 12 games thus far this season. The
pitch looked in surprisingly good condition, begging the question as to why
so many games had been called off. Overzealous groundsmen? I would never
make such an accusation.

Rusty doesn't quite cover the Old Boltonains performance in the first half;
the break had obviously taken its toll, as the Old Boltonians were
struggling to play football to anywhere near the level they had achieved in
the previous half of the season. Radcliffe, although pretty toothless in
most areas of the pitch created the better chances of the half and without
some good moments of goalkeeping from Dave Hopkins, the Old Boltonians
could and should have gone in to half time by anything up to three goals
down. Luckily, the half time score was 0-0.

The Old Boltonains started the second half with much more gusto and
threatened straight from the kick off. The more dominant display paid off
as Darren Dalton fired in the opening goal of the game after a neat turn in
the box that left his opposing defender looking like bambi on ice. This
should have been a launch pad for a comprehensive victory, but a matter of
seconds later, the score was level. A hopeful punt from a deep free kick
into the Old Boltonians box was inadequately defended and the Radcliffe
forward was gifted a goal. 1-1.

Cometh the hour and cometh the man. Delap Gamble strode forward from left
back, pushing his wind swept hair from his fivehead, to take a throw in
deep in opposition territory. The giant throw into the box was flicked on
by the specimen, David Owen for Marcus Gavin (yes, I didn't believe it
either) to stroke home the easiest of chances from two yards.  2-1. The
game was killed off and the lead extended after Michael Platt drove another
dangerous free kick into the box (who says we play direct football?), which
was spilt by the Radcliffe keeper to allow Nick 'Casanova' Luke to apply
the finishing touches. 3-1.

The game was not pretty to watch, but it's the result that counts.There
will be harder challenges to come.