Bootle Resume Play Off Push

By Brendan Doyle

Photos: Kate Tencza

The first half got off to a slow start but it was Chasetown who had more of the momentum only ever so slightly, the first major chance of the game fell to Luke Yates from outside the box as his deflected shot rolled just a yard wide of the goal. Not long after, Bootle made their own chance from a counter attack from a Chasetown corner as Ryan Beigan fed a fantastic ball through to Ste Edmondson who see through one on one but keeper Curtis Pond made a magnificent save to deny Bootle an opener.

A ball came into the head of Courtney Duffus from out wide and the ball appeared to strike a defender’s arm which led to many shouts from the Bootle players but no penalty was awarded. Bootle finally broke the deadlock as Xavier Smith’s free kick found Ryan Beigan at the near post who took it down on his chest and buried it into the near corner, a fantastically worked goal. The first half would end with The Bucks a goal in front.

Just ten minutes into the second half, Ste Edmondson had the ball on the left hand side of the Chasetown area and managed to get a shot away but Curtis Pond parried away the effort from his near post. A very rare situation occurred as Matty Fenton took a long throw in which bounced straight into the Chasetown net but the goal was not given as the ball made no contact on it’s way into the net.

Courtney Duffus had a chance on the right hand side as he struck his effort from a tight angle which seemed to deflect behind for a corner but the referee instead awarded a goal kick to the visiting Chasetown. Substitute Declan Daniels had a really good chance to double the scoring for Bootle late in the game as he received a long ball from Tony Thompson but his effort was just inches wide and ended up behind the Chasetown net. The score would finish 1-0 to Bootle and go seven points clear of Chasetown in the league table.