Bootle Advance To The Second Qualifying Round Of The FA Cup!

Credit: Kate Tencza

Bootle beat Silsden 4-2 in a clinical performance which earns them a place in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Bootle started the game very strongly on the front foot as Ben Hodkinson fed a ball from out wide to Jack Lenehan but Lenehan’s shot in the area was blocked, just seconds after there were loud shouts for a handball and a Bootle penalty but the referee seen no wrongdoing. A ball from Joe Woolley found Tom Hannigan in the Silsden area whose headed shot was saved by Silsden keeper Tommy Brown.

After winning a physical battle with Silsden defender Harry Coates, Courtney Duffus had the ball in his possession on the left hand side with Ben Hodkinson shouting for it on the opposite side, Duffus went for glory but the ball only flew across the face out of goal and out of play. After constant pressure from The Bucks, they took the lead by way of a fantastic ball from Michael Simpson meeting Joe Woolley which the famously dubbed “White Pele” by the Dodge Kop calmly finished giving Bootle the lead.

Ben Hodkinson had the ball on the right flank and was up against Jorge Sikora but Hodkinson went past Silsden’s number six with ease but Hodkinson’s effort only went out for a corner. Kayle Price attempted to cut in from the left hand side with his right foot to take a shot at goal but Ben Dufton Kelly made sure the forward made no danger.

Later on in the half Ben Hodkinson took a shot in the area but it was blocked by the arm of a Silsden defender and the referee still gave no penalty to the hosts! Although some might say Hodkinson should’ve buried his effort regardless. In the 44th minute of the first half, a Kayle Price ball to the back post met a Jake Cassidy strike which put the game level just before the break.

Just 7 minutes into the second half, Ethan Goldbourne took a shot outside the box which rattled the crossbar, but after a slight penalty box pinball Michael Simpson hit a shot which deflected into the top corner to put Bootle back in front. Only a minute later Joe Woolley once again showed his magic as a footballer as he struck the ball with the outside of his foot and managed to get the ball into the far corner of the net to put Bootle 3-1 ahead in the tie.

Kayle Price looked very threatening to pull one back for the visitors as he had Ben Dufton Kelly seemingly beaten down the left flank but Dufton Kelly made a miraculous recovery and tackled Price to deny a one on one chance up against Tony Thompson. Sam Hughes who was dressed as a Bootle version of Zorro, attempted to find a pass in the area but another Bootle shirt wasn’t there to meet his efforts.

Bootle’s star man Joe Woolley attempted to claim a hat trick via a shot outside the area but the effort only flew way over the Dodge Kop. Substitute Conor Rankin managed to dispossess Silsden keeper Tommy Brown and played a squared pass to fellow substitute Dior Angus to put Bootle in a comfortable 4–1 lead in the 83rd minute.

Kayle Price, who missed a header from six yards out not long before Bootle grabbed their fourth goal, managed to pull a goal back for Silsden just past the 90 minute mark. However, it would prove to be too late for the visitors from West Yorkshire to turn on a comeback as the referee blew his whistle for full time just a couple of minutes after Silsden’s second goal.

This result means Bootle will take on National League North side Darlington in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup at The Berry Street Garage Stadium at 3pm on September 13th.