Match Preview: Sefton Park Rangers vs Bootle FC Women

By Freddie Bullen

Bootle FC Women return to league action this Sunday afternoon as they make the short trip to the Tiber Football Centre to face Sefton Park Rangers in an important fixture. The Bucks will be aiming to bounce back and collect all three points after a disappointing result in their last league outing.

Currently sitting fifth in the table with six points, a win this weekend could see Bootle rise to third place, just one point behind leaders Vulcan — a strong incentive as the team looks to build momentum in the early stages of the season.

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Recent Form

The Bucks come into this match following a tough defeat on penalties in the LCFA Women’s Challenge Cup Preliminary Round against league rivals St Helens Rovers. It was a tightly contested encounter, with both sides creating chances throughout.

After a goalless first half, Bootle broke the deadlock thanks to Ev Isuala, who finished off a clever short corner routine. Holding off pressure from her marker, she shifted the ball onto her right foot and rifled a superb effort into the top corner to give Bootle a deserved lead.

Despite a battling defensive performance, heartbreak struck in the 90th minute when St Helens equalised with a long-range strike that crept into the bottom corner. The tie went to penalties, where Bootle were edged out 3–1 in the shootout.

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The Opposition

Sunday’s hosts, Sefton Park Rangers, currently sit bottom of the league table after losing their opening two matches. However, they have shown they can be dangerous going forward — their most recent outing was a 9-goal thriller against Parklands Ladies, where they came from 2–0 down to lead 4–2 before eventually falling to a narrow 5–4 defeat.

That performance will give the Rangers confidence, but Bootle will be determined to capitalise on their opponent’s defensive frailties and return to winning ways.