Match Report: Bootle vs Southport

By Brendan Doyle

Bootle lose 2-1 at The Berry Street Garage Stadium to visitors Southport, although The Bucks put up a very good performance against a higher levelled opposition side.

Southport opened the game with two promising chances created, firstly from the right hand side as a ball was put into the box across the face of goal but it just couldn’t meet another man to hit a shot on target, secondly Charley Doyle delivered a promising cross into Bootle’s area but it was swiftly dealt with by Lewis Earl. Bootle however, did respond with a chance of their own as the hosts seemingly caught Southport slipping in their own final third as A Trialist delivered a ball into the area of the visitors but the cross failed to find another Bootle shirt.

Southport skipper Danny Lloyd pounced on a loose ball made by Bootle as he carried it towards the edge of the area and took a shot but the effort was blocked, the ball would then remain in Southport’s possession and another shot was hit by Dana Amaral but the effort flew wide. A free kick was given to Bootle within shooting distance for Ben Hodkinson who then struck the set piece with a fair amount of power behind it but it was only an almost effortless save for the Southport keeper.

A few minutes later up the other end, the visitors were awarded a free kick which Danny Lloyd stepped up to float in a dangerous looking ball although the set piece resulted in a goal kick for Bootle, just a bit of contact from a Southport shirt could’ve resulted in danger for The Bucks.

Danny Lloyd continued to be a threat for Bootle as he took a shot on his preferred left foot attempting for the far corner but his effort was just narrowly wide, Lloyd however did contribute to winning a penalty for his side as he delivered a long ball into the Bootle area which Tony Thompson made an attempt to collect but ended up colliding with a Southport trialist, resulting in a penalty for The Port which Danny Lloyd successfully converted putting the visitors 1-0 up.

In the last few minute of the first half, Bootle attempted to level the scoreline as Conor Rankin made a shot which was blocked by the Southport defence after a smooth run of link up play down the left flank. Rankin also managed to find Ben Hodkinson in the Bootle area with a promising pass but Hodkinson couldn’t manage to meet the ball with a clean enough connection. The first half seen Southport head into the tunnel 1-0 ahead.

Five minutes into the second half, Joe Woolley picked up a loose ball made by Southport which he then attempted to put Bootle on level terms with a shot on goal but the trialist goalkeeper for the visitors kept his side 1-0 up with an impressive save. Former Buck Nathan Sandison struck a free kick from a dangerous position but the effort just slightly dipped over the bar, close to doubling the scoreline.

Another former Buck Sonny Hilton looked very threatening with the ball attempting to carry it from Southport’s final third into Bootle’s area to create another chance for his side to widen the score to 2-0, but Bootle midfielder Sam Hughes made an excellent tackle dispossessing his former teammate of the ball and winning it back for Bootle. Courtney Duffus and Joe Woolley looked to spark a little link up around the Southport area to try and pull a goal back for The Bucks but a final pass failed to be a success and resulted in a goal kick for the visitors.

Just as Bootle looked to be growing in confidence to gain an equaliser, Southport capitalised on a slight switch off from the hosts and executed a well drilled counter attack as Dan Pike chipped in a ball to Luke Burgess from the left hand side which seen the latter bag Southport a second goal via a first time volley, very good move from The Port. Nathan Sandison once again had an opportunity to score against his former club after being played through on goal by a brilliant cutting pass but Tony Thompson managed to deny a third goal for Southport.

As the game approached it’s closing stages, the Dodge Kop were screaming in an appeal for a penalty after B Trialist was allegedly brought down in the area by a Southport defender, despite the protests of the Bootle faithful, the referee waved play on. Nonetheless, Bootle were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute as Courtney Duffus stepped up and placed his penalty with success in front of the Dodge Kop which resulted in the famous section of the ground chanting the forward’s name.

The match would end 2–1 to the visiting Southport in a well contested pre season friendly at The Berry Street Garage Stadium.