BOLTON Mets began preparations for their new season in the North West Rugby League Division Five with a 40-40 draw at Garswood Stags.

The local lads almost won it against a team one division higher, as they came back from 22-12 down at half time to lead 40-34 before conceding a late try.

Patrick O’Brien scored four tries for Mets in the friendly, with other individual successes being Ryan Terry outstanding defensively.

After conceding an early unconverted try, Mets hit back with O'Brien touching down after a break from loose-forward Will Bate scattered the Stags defence before he offloaded to the supporting Gavin Hatton, who passed out wide to the speeding O’Brien.

Daryl Devlin slotted over the conversion to give Mets a 6-4 advantage after 10 minutes, but three Garswood tries gave them a 22-6 lead which was cut to 22-12 by winger O’Brien's second try and another successful conversion from Devlin before half time.

The second 40 minutes started with O’Brien completing his hat-trick with a length-of-the-field run from a tap penalty, Devlin converting easily.

Bate touched down next, with the conversion putting Mets – who kick off their league campaign on March 2 at home to Newton Storm – ahead by four points.

And it was extended to eight and a 30-22 lead when centre Gavin Hatton kicked the ball on before collecting and scoring.

The Stags turned the game around to regain the lead, but their 34-30 advantage was changed to 40-34 in favour of the Bolton men who refused to lie down, pushed on by good driving by Alex Stephens.

O’Brien scored his fourth try before Mets touched down an outstanding team try involving Devlin, Paul Charnock, Bate and Ryan Terry who released winger Mark Riley to barge through three defenders and chalked up his first Mets try on his seventh appearance.

Garswood's late equaliser earned a share of the spoils but the late disappointment could not take away the positives from a fine performance by Mets whose next outing is against their team predecessors in an 'Old Boys' game a week on Saturday at Greenhalgh’s Pavilion, Bolton Rugby Club, kick off 2.30pm.