Match Report: Bootle Shell-Shocked At Blue Turtle Arena In Seven Goal Thriller

By Brendan Doyle

Within the first three minutes of the game, Bootle rapidly took the lead in Wales as Joe Woolley played a ball into the area which Ayden Garrigan picked up on the overlap with a first time pass into the Colwyn Bay Area which Courtney Duffus met with a shot that found the back of the net. Just two minutes later, The Bucks doubled their lead after a spectacular flurry of one touch passing ended up in the path of Joe Woolley who struck his effort past the trialist Colwyn Bay goalkeeper, an astonishing start to the game from Bootle!

Not long after conceding a second goal in the opening five minutes, the North Welsh side began to build confidence in open play as they looked threatening around the Bootle area and even appealed for a penalty as the ball looked to hit the hand of Lewis Earl but the referee waved played, funnily enough to the advantage of Colwyn Bay as they managed to pull a goal back just seconds after the penalty appeal as Ethan Roberts found himself unmarked at the back post. Two further dangerous attempts for an equaliser came for Colwyn Bay as a ball was floated into the Bootle area which was attempted to be struck via an overhead kick from a Colwyn Bay forward but the ball went out for a goal kick, a great ball was delivered into the area by a Colwyn Bay corner which one of their defenders found a header to but the effort went narrowly wide.

The hosts continued to pile the pressure on Bootle as a threatening cross was put into the area by way of a set piece but the trialist in between the sticks parried the ball away from danger. A free kick from a promising scoring position was struck by Matty Hill but his effort was scuffed just wide of the Bootle goal, Colwyn Bay delivered a cross from out wide but Ben Dufton-Kelly just about managed to get his head on it and away from the Bootle box. One of the Colwyn Bay forwards received a pass from the right flank but just couldn’t get a clean enough connection on the ball to level up the scoreline.

Ethan Roberts tried his luck from long range with a left footed strike towards goal but the ball only fell a couple of yards away from the far post, however, Ethan Roberts did manage to claim an assist as he played a ball into the area for Matty Hill to bury his first time effort to make the game 2-2, Colwyn Bay finally got their equaliser. Only four minutes later Matty Hill dinked a ball over the top for Lewis Robles to put the hosts in front after behind 2-0 down after the first five minutes of the game by way of a wonderfully executed goal.

As the second half begun Colwyn Bay looked to hold their foot on the game, they won a free kick in threatening territory to expand their lead which was delivered into the area looking promising but after a slight scramble, Bootle managed to clear the ball of any danger. Minutes later nonetheless, Matty Hill once again linked up with Lewis Robles as Hill’s cross was met by the head of Robles and the ball landed into the bottom far corner putting The Seagulls 4-2 ahead in the game. Although a minute later Bootle managed to instantly come back into the game as Dior Angus took a shot but a huge deflection on helped the ball dip into the back of the net on the way.

For a short period Bootle went on the front foot in search of an equaliser as Michael Simpson made a cross into the Colwyn Bay Area but the goalkeeper shut out any chances of a Bootle leveller as he safely caught the ball. Joe Woolley stepped up to deliver a ball into the area from a free kick from a promising position but his distribution of the ball failed to beat the first man.

Simpson cross into the area but keeper catches, Joe Woolley free kick from promising position for potential equaliser but fails to beat first man. Jay Roberts, who was very impactful for the remainder of the match after coming off the bench, delivered a hopeful cross into the host’s area but couldn’t find a Bootle shirt on the end of it. Jack McGowan tried his efforts from outside the area but his effort only skied way over the Colwyn Bay crossbar. A few minutes later at the other end, Colwyn Bay looked certain to score a fifth as a ball was played across the face of goal rolling past Bootle’s trialist goalkeeper, but Jay Roberts somehow managed to reach the ball first before any of the Colwyn Bay forwards and still kept Bootle a goal away from an equaliser.

Jay Roberts once again delivered a dangerous ball into the area but another Bootle shirt failed to meet the cross, Conor Rankin attempted a header towards goal but the ball went just over failing to trouble the Colwyn Bay keeper. Michael Simpson played a ball into Jack McGowan to managed to get a headed connection to the ball but it only ended miles wide which would be Bootle’s very last chance of the game.

Bootle’s last pre season fixture ended in a 4-3 defeat in North Wales to Colwyn Bay.