The Bucks take all three points on the road in Staffordshire with a strong performance under the lights.
By Ben Shaw
Bootle started the game strongly with Andy Scarisbrick and Kenzie O'Neill testing Hednesford keeper Jack Rose with a double save to deny The Bucks an early advantage.
The high line of The Keys continued to bring chances for the travelling Bucks, which on the 32nd minute led to the breakthrough after a long ball through the backline saw Ben Hodkinson in on goal before calmly slotting home at the near post to give The Bucks a 1-0 lead after half an hour played.
Hednesford left-back Danny Sparks was lucky to stay on the pitch after two tactical fouls within the space of 10 minutes either side of Hodkinson's opener, with only the first of the two deemed to be a bookable offence.
The chances kept coming for Bootle as Hodkinson once again was left with acres of space on the right to cut inside and curl an effort towards the far corner only for it to be blocked at the last second to deny his and Bootle's second of the game.
Minutes before half-time, the hosts responded. A whipped ball in from a wide free-kick met the head of captain Elliott Johnson who nodded home to bring the game level at the interval.
The second half, much like the first, saw plenty of chances for both sides. The Bucks once again using the long ball to find Andy Scarisbrick who rounded the keeper to put us back into the lead, 7 minutes into the second-half.
Chances continued to come for The Bucks as Sean Williams was unlucky to see his effort from outside the box narrowly glance past the post in the 62nd minute.
Ben Hodkinson was a threat throughout, and he'll feel unlucky to not have had his second of the game as Williams' ball across the box fell to his feet but couldn't get the contact needed to extend the lead.
In the 82nd minute, Bootle did get the third goal that we had deserved. A difficult ball to read left the Hednesford keeper out of his goal and once the ball fell through to Kenzie O'Neill, he tapped home into an empty net.
Hednesford did not go down without a fight though, striker Dominic McHale should have put The Keys back into the game after a scrappy corner fell to his feet that he couldn't get on target. However, a minute later he made up for the missed chance and put the home side back into the game with 5 minutes left to play.
The Bucks, though, did not cave under pressure. Another long ball forward to Kenzie O'Neill gave him plenty of space to cut inside and strike truly towards the far-post, scoring a goal late into stoppage time that would confirm the victory for Mick McGraa's side.
Final Score: Hednesford Town 2 - 4 Bootle FC