The Bucks Suffer 3-1 Loss on Derby Day

Credit: Kate Tencza

By Brendan Doyle

In the first three minutes of the game Lower Breck keeper Theo Roberts made a fantastic double save from very close distance to his goal line, after Roberts parried away his second save a ball came into Courtney Duffus at close range but his header only went over the bar. A long ball came into the path of Alex Cherera who’s half volley flew right past Tony Thompson and into the corner of the net, a fantastic strike which gave Lower Breck the lead.

Thirteen minutes later Joe Woolley whipped in a ball taken via a free kick from out wide which found the head of Connor Rankin who managed to put Bootle level with a powerful header leaving Theo Roberts beaten. Liam Morris attempted to nudge Lower Breck back ahead as he took a shot from distance which troubled Tony Thompson to parry the ball behind for a corner, however Lower Breck made nothing from the following set piece.

Jordan Barrow, Dan Lowey and Harry McGee made a good link up down the left hand side and looked threatening but a pass from Barrow to McGee was over hit and the ball ran out of play. A shot from Lower Breck was saved off the line as Ben Hodkinson seemed to appear out of nowhere but there were some huge appeals for a Lower Breck penalty as some seemed to think the ball hit the hand of Hodkinson, the referee seen no wrong doing and waved play on.

After two consecutive corners for Lower Breck, Alex Cherera whipped a ball into the Bootle box which fell onto the head of Lewis Buckley but the header only glanced over the crossbar. The first half would finish 1–1 in a very even affair, chances from both sides happened but both were only able to convert one each into a goal.

A cross from out wide came into Tom Hannigan who took a chance via a header but the ball fell just a yard wide, a very close opportunity for Bootle to go in front missed. Hannigan also had another headed chance but this time it was denied by another fantastic save from Theo Roberts, the former Buck was outstanding in between the sticks for Lower Breck.

Alex Cherera almost snatched a second goal in the eightieth minute as he cut in from the left hand side on his right foot and took the shot on goal but the ball struck the post and fortunately for Bootle, rebounded straight into Tony Thompson’s hands. However, only a minute later, the visitors did manage to get a second goal as Jordan Barrow met a cross with a diving header that beat Tony Thompson and put his side 2-1 ahead.

Just four minutes later, Alex Cherera snatched a brace for himself and a third goal for Lower Breck as he curled in an absolutely stunning shot over into the far corner from a somewhat tight angle. Bootle substitute Jack Lenehan tried his luck to pull one back for Bootle but the ball flew wide of the goal not even phasing Theo Roberts.

Another Bootle substitute Dior Angus also made an attempt to pull one back for Bootle as he made the shot on goal but once again Theo Roberts was there to deny Bootle a goal.

The game finished 3-1 in a very tight contest up until the later stages, a fair result would be a fair assessment.