Bootle Beaten 1-0 At Home By Clitheroe

Credit: Kate Tencza

By Brendan Doyle

The visiting Clitheroe took a very early lead with only ninety seconds after kick off as Jordan Windass picked out Josh Briggs with a fantastic lofted through ball which resulted in Briggs being one on one with Tony Thompson and burying his chance in front of The Dodge Kop to put Clitheroe 1-0 up stunning Bootle early doors. Leon Creech took a shot on goal in an effort to double the visitor’s lead but the strike wasn’t a danger to Bootle, there were also appeals from the Clitheroe contingency for a penalty in their favour but the referee waved away the claims.

A link up between Josh Briggs and Dylan Dwyer down Clitheroe’s left hand side led to Dwyer taking a shot on goal but it was an easy scoop for Bootle captain Tony Thompson. Frenchman Veron Parney was brought down on the edge of the Bootle area which was of course a free kick in a threatening position for a second Clitheroe goal, skipper Jake Carroll stepped up to take the set piece but his strike fizzled over the Bootle goal.

Bootle looked to step up their efforts for an equaliser as Conor Rankin attempted to play a switched long pass towards Ben Hodkinson but Clitheroe’s Dylan Dwyer was there to ensure the pass wasn’t a success and snuffed out any potential danger of dropping their lead. Jack Lenehan had the ball to feet on the right flank and put in a cross towards Conor Rankin but the Clitheroe captain Jake Carroll headed the ball away from the path of the Bootle forward.

Josh Briggs who continued to be a thorn in Bootle’s side in the opening forty five minutes, took an effort on goal which was put behind for a corner in the later stages of the first half. The corner was taken by Jordan Windass which found an unmarked Brad Ditch to take on a free header but Ditch’s header only went over the bar, the first half would end 1-0 to Clitheroe.

In the early beginnings of the second half Bootle attempted to get themselves level as Conor Rankin sought to pick out a back heeled pass towards Joe Woolley but Brad Ditch brilliantly intercepted the danger and kept the hosts out. Bootle won a free kick in a promising position to pull themselves level which Ben Hodkinson struck his effort on target but James McClenaghan got a hand to it which then fell to Michael Simpson for a rebound but once again McClenaghan made a great save to keep Bootle from equalising.

Clitheroe would then advance on the counter attack from James McClenaghan’s superb double save which led to Jordan Windass attempting a shot outside the box but his effort would only sail over the crossbar. The visitors once again made an effort to double their lead by way of a Lewis Tricket effort just on the edge of the box but thanks to a magnificent Tony Thompson save, the scoreline remained 1-0.

Substitute Ethan Goldbourne cut onto his left foot from the right back position after driving forward with the ball and took an effort in hope of an equaliser but the shot only fizzled way wide. Another Bootle substitute Eoin Hogan made an effort to contribute to a leveller in the later stages of the game as he made a great run through two Clitheroe players and attempted to lay the ball to Sam Hughes but Brad Ditch once again made a fantastic interception.

With the clock running down and not being on Bootle’s side, Tony Thompson took a free kick in his own final third and lumped a long ball to the other end of the pitch in the hope of finding another Bootle shirt but the set piece would only end up in the hands of James McClenaghan. The game would finish 1-0 to Clitheroe as Bootle remain winless in their last three games.